News New safety features included in Maidstone Bus Station refurb
Work continues on the new look Maidstone Bus Station with additional safety features now being introduced to benefit the customers using the facility.
The refurbishment will include new CCTV, enhanced lighting and improved public announcement equipment to help people as they arrive in town or board the buses in the area of the station situated under the Mall shopping centre.
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is working with Kent County Council, Arriva, NuVenture and the owners of the Mall Shopping Centre to refurbish and improve the area with the work due to be completed with the Bus Station reopening on 2 August 2021.
The proposed new look will modernise the area and will contribute to increasing the vitality and viability of Maidstone, the County Town of Kent, by improving its overall image as a modern and well cared for place with excellent public transport facilities.
Cllr Paul Harper, the current MBC Chair of the Economic, Regeneration and Leisure Committee said:
“These improvements to the Bus Station will help make it a modern, safe and welcoming place for people to get on and off the bus. There is no doubt that the refurbishments will make it lighter and brighter and make this important facility nicer for everyone to use.”
Knights Brown have been appointed to undertake the works and will have a dedicated liaison officer on hand to address any issues arising from the construction.
Sean Hebden, Divisional Director for Knights Brown added:
“Our site team has been making good progress and is working to accommodate the additional works that have come to light. We’re continuing to work as quickly as possible and look forward to returning the bus station into service for the people of Maidstone as swiftly as we can.”
Temporary bus stops are currently in place on King Street in the town where an Arriva Duty Manager is on site from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 4.30pm Saturday to help people with enquiries regarding the bus services.
The narrow steps between Sainsbury’s and the Mall remain closed to the public whilst the work continues although access via the escalators remains open.
MBC held a public consultation in 2020 to help understand what people would like to see from the new look Bus Station; one of the priorities raised was ‘Improved Lighting’. Further improvements mentioned were ‘refurnishing floors in pedestrian areas’, ‘new bus bay signage with timetabling information’, ‘new benches and seating’ and ‘refurbishing the canopy along the Eastern side (by Sainsbury’s)’, all of which will be incorporated in the refurbishments.