Cardiff Bus Interchange
{{Short description|Bus station in Cardiff, Wales}}
{{for|the Cardiff bus station until 2015|Cardiff Central bus station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Cardiff Bus Interchange {{rint|gb|bus}}
| name_lang = en
| native_name = (part of The Interchange complex)
| native_name_lang = cy
| symbol =
| symbol_location =
| type = Bus station
| image = {{multiple image
| total_width = 290
| border = infobox
| image_style =
| perrow = 1/1
| image1 = Bus Interchange Open (1).jpg
| caption1 = {{center|The southern Bus Interchange entrance}}
| image2 = Bus Interchange Open (12).jpg
| caption2 = {{center|The Bus Interchange concourse}}
}}
| alt =
| caption =
| address = 4 Central Square, Cardiff
| borough =
| country = Wales
| coordinates =
| owned = Welsh Government (site)
| operator = Transport for Wales (bus station and bus apron only)
| bus_routes =
| bus_stands = 14
| bus_operators = {{Flatlist|
}}
| connections = Cardiff Central railway station
| structure =
| parking =
| bicycle =
| accessible =
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| code =
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| website =
| opened = {{Start date|2024|06|30|df=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czqq3j8xqlxo|title=Cardiff: New bus station finally to open on 30 June after delays|date=30 May 2024|website=BBC News}}
| closed =
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Cardiff Bus Interchange (CBI){{cite news|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/completion-cardiff-bus-station-delayed-27364086 |title=Completion of Cardiff bus station delayed yet again as capital goes eight years without one|access-date=2023-08-06|work=Wales Online|date=20 July 2023}} ({{langx|cy|Cyfnewidfa Fysiau Caerdydd}}; formerly Cardiff Transport Interchange, {{langx|cy|Cyfnewidfa Drafnidiaeth Caerdydd}}; sometimes Cardiff Interchange or The Interchange) is a bus and transport interchange in the centre of Cardiff and forms part of The Interchange{{cite web|url=https://group.legalandgeneral.com/en/our-purpose/building-infrastructure/here-s-to-the-next-25-years-cardiff |title=Building infrastructure - Here’s to the next 25 years, Cardiff |date=25 October 2023 |publisher=Legal & General |access-date=22 September 2024 }} development, which also includes Wood Street House at the northern end with 318 for-rent apartments, two floors of office space, and four retail units on the ground floor.
It was under construction from 2020 and is operated by the Welsh Government's transport arm, Transport for Wales. The bus station is at the southern end of The Interchange with 14-bays for buses on the ground floor, whilst the Cardiff Bus Interchange officially opened on 30 June 2024, although the public could view the new facilities and services between 27{{en dash}}29 June 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.cardiffbus.com/central-bus-interchange#:~:text=Transport%20for%20Wales%20(TfW)%20has,information%20will%20be%20posted%20soon.&text=Click%20here%20to%20download%20our,the%20service%20changes%20in%20full.|title=Cardiff Bus Interchange|access-date=15 September 2024|work=Cardiff Bus|date=31 May 2024}}
Background
{{Multiple image
| direction = horizontal
| total_width = 500px
| align = left
| header = Construction of the Interchange's offices and bus station
| header_align = center
| image1 = Interchange from Central Square, January 2021.jpg
| image2 = Construction of Cardiff Transport Interchange 2 Sept 2021 (2).jpg
| image3 = Interchange's offices in April 2023.jpg|thumb
| caption1 = January 2021
| caption2 = September 2021
| caption3 = April 2023
}}
Cardiff Central bus station had originally been built, directly to the north of what is now Cardiff Central railway station, in 1954. The old terminus building was demolished in 2008 and, in 2010, options were put to the public for a multi-million pound bus station redevelopment or replacement.{{cite news|last=Alford |first=Abby |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2010/12/03/revamp-for-bus-station-coming-at-last-91466-27759451/ |title=Revamp for bus station coming at last - Cardiff news - CardiffOnline |work=WalesOnline |date=3 December 2010 |access-date=20 November 2020}} In 2014 a "Capital Square" masterplan for Central Square (the former bus station site) was revealed, led by developers Rightacres Property, including a new headquarters building for BBC Cymru Wales.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-27781784|work=BBC News |title= BBC Wales HQ at bus station site|accessdate=20 November 2020}} The old bus station finally closed in August 2015.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-33736981|work=BBC News |title= Cardiff bus station closes for Central Square redevelopment|date=1 August 2015 |accessdate=20 November 2020}} A replacement was expected to be completed by 2017, designed by Foster and Partners, on the site of the nearby Marland House and Wood Street NCP multi-storey carpark. As well as a new bus station it also included offices, shops and a hotel.
In 2016 the Marland House office block and the neighbouring NCP Wood Street multi-storey car park were demolished. It was planned to site the 'Central Transport Interchange' on this site, with walkways linking it to the railway station.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-36187011 |work=BBC News |title= Demolition of Cardiff city centre 'eyesore' starts|date=3 May 2016 |accessdate=20 November 2020}}
Foster and Partners was dropped from the project in 2018, after the Welsh Government took over responsibility from Cardiff Council, though by this point the architecture firm had completely redesigned the proposals.{{cite news|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/design-cardiffs-new-bus-station-14501625|title=The design of Cardiff’s new bus station is up in the air – again |date=6 April 2018 |work=Wales Online |accessdate=20 November 2020 }}
Development
{{multiple image
| align = left
| direction = horizontal
| header = Demolished buildings to make way for the Interchange
| header_align = center
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| total_width = 400px
| footer =
| footer_align = left
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| width =
| image1 = Central Square, Cardiff - 2818255 27c384cb.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Marland House
| image2 = NCP Wood Street Car Park.JPG
| alt2 =
| caption2 = NCP Wood Street multi-storey car park
}}
The Welsh Government bought the Marland House site from Cardiff Council for £12 million and carried out £3 million of preparatory work. In April 2018 the new design for the 'Metro Central Interchange' was revealed, designed by local architects Holder Mathias Architects based on concepts by Foster and Partners.{{cite news|last=Gregory|first=Rhys|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43811175 |title=Cardiff's new bus station design revealed |date=18 April 2018 |work=BBC News |accessdate=20 November 2020 }} The Interchange would include a 14-stand bus station with a covered concourse and 500 cycle spaces. Once completed, the Interchange would be run by the Welsh Government's not-for-profit subsidiary, Transport for Wales, intended to bring together an integrated transport system.
File:Cardiff Transport Interchange in July 2023.jpg offices above and Wood Street House residential tower block to the left.]]
In July 2019 it was announced that contracts had finally been signed between the Welsh Government, finance company Legal & General, and the developers Rightacres, to begin work constructing the scheme. Construction was expected to begin at the end of the year, after a major drain had been relocated.{{cite news|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiffs-bus-station-finally-going-16662395|title=Cardiff's bus station is finally going to be built - but won't open for another four years |date=30 July 2020 |work=Wales Online |accessdate=20 November 2020 }}
Having previously built the adjacent BBC Cymru Wales New Broadcasting House and 2 Central Square, in December 2019 construction company ISG secured the £89 million contract to build the new Cardiff Bus Interchange. The Interchange is funded by Legal & General. As well as the covered 14-bay bus station, the Interchange includes 318 build to rent apartments, about {{convert|90,000|sqft|m2|sigfig=2}} of office accommodation, and a retail unit.{{cite news|last=Gregory|first=Rhys|url=https://www.wales247.co.uk/isg-secures-89-million-cardiff-transport-interchange-project/ |title=ISG secures £89 million Cardiff transport interchange project |date=3 December 2019 |work=Wales247 |accessdate=20 November 2020 }}
In October 2020 Legal & General pledged £400 million of forward funding to build a new headquarters office building for its 2,000 staff, as part of the Interchange development.{{cite news|last=Barry|first=Sion|url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/legal--general-investing-new-19125942|title=Legal & General investing in new HQ in the centre of Cardiff for nearly 2,000 staff |date=29 October 2020 |work=Business Live |accessdate=20 November 2020 }}
Originally planned for completion in 2022, it was revealed in July 2023 that the bus station would be accessible by the end of the year, though not fully operational until 2024. The first scheduled bus service was due to operate from the interchange on the morning of Sunday 30 June 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-06-27/inside-cardiffs-new-bus-station-as-it-opens-after-seven-year-delay |title=Inside Cardiff's new bus station as it opens after seven-year delay |date=27 June 2024 |work=ITV News |accessdate=29 June 2024}} Initially a peak of twenty-five services operate every hour from the interchange, with the ambition of reaching sixty per hour by the end of 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw99y22dgv8o|title=Cardiff bus station officially opens - what you need to know|date=29 June 2024|website=BBC News|accessdate=30 June 2024}} At the time of opening, tenants were being sought for the four retail units but had yet to be confirmed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiffs-long-awaited-new-bus-29427882|title=This is Cardiff's long awaited new bus station as it's finally set to open|work=Wales Online|date=26 June 2024|accessdate=30 June 2024}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category multi |Cardiff Bus Interchange|4 Central Square}}
- [https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/metro-central/cardiff-bus-interchange TfW Cardiff Bus Interchange page]
- [https://www.woodstreethouse.com/ Wood Street House page]
{{Transport in Cardiff}}
{{South Wales Metro}}
{{coord missing|Glamorgan}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Cardiff
Category:Bus transport in Cardiff
Category:Bus stations in Wales
Category:Redevelopment projects in Cardiff
Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 2024