Taunton's £3.2m bus hub misses Christmas opening target

The new £3.2 million transport hub in Taunton will not be open by Christmas. Somerset Council admitted on November 4 that the project, originally scheduled for completion this holiday season, has slipped its target date.

Work began in early March on the former bus station at Tower Street, a site that closed in 2020. The Department for Transport funded the project under the council's bus services improvement plan. The goal is to allow more services to stop in the town center.

Mike O'Dowd-Jones, the service director for infrastructure and transport, told the bus advisory board on October 13 that a new opening date is not yet set. He said discussions are underway with the contractor to determine the revised schedule.

"There have been issues that have cropped up during the construction that weren't foreseen," O'Dowd-Jones said. "Particularly at that location, there were archaeological issues and various other matters that needed to be dealt with."

The council stated that most groundwork is complete. In September, workers installed kerbs and a central island rain garden. They also installed metal work on crossing points. On September 17, a long electric bus tested the site twice without issues.

The new hub will feature six bus stops with individual shelters. These stops are designed so buses do not have to reverse onto Tower Street. Two coach stops on Castle Way will connect local buses with nationwide journeys. Five layover bays will allow buses to park off-street, keeping them out of the main streets.

Each shelter will include seating and solar panels. The facility will have real-time information boards, an indoor waiting room with toilets, and a changing places toilet with accessible parking. Outside, a pedestrianized area will include outdoor seating, planting, and bicycle parking. New pedestrian crossings will link the site to Goodlands Gardens.

Roadworks on Tower Street are expected to continue until January 31, 2027. This period allows for temporary road narrowing to install new kerbs. The next bus advisory board meeting is scheduled for January, when the council hopes to confirm a firm opening date.