Hometown Olympic heroine Emily Campbell officially opens new Bulwell Bus Station

Bulwell girl Emily, who won Commonwealth weightlifting gold in Birmingham last summer, to follow up her silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, was given the honour of officially cutting the ribbon to reopen the facility, which has undergone a £900,000 revamp, funded by a Government grant.

Nottingham Council successfully secured the Transforming Cities funding for the project and designed and built the station.

Before the pandemic, about 1.1 million passenger trips were made every year from the bus station, and currently more than 600 bus services run through it every day.

The former bus station closed on January 16 for the three-month project to transform it into a modern, environmentally friendly new transport hub which is more enjoyable and efficient for buses and passengers.

Nottingham City Transport’s bus driver of the year Jonathan Smallman – who drives the Orange 35 route between Bulwell and Nottingham – drove the first bus into the station along with local boy Lorenzo, who recently hit the news for his quest to ride on every bus in Nottingham.

The new bus station features:

• More environmentally friendly and sustainable through solar powered bus shelter lighting, and new greenery in planters along the footpaths with pollinator-friendly plants;
• Safer, energy-efficient passenger waiting facilities;
• Upgraded real-time information displays;
• Lighting powered by solar panels on the bus shelters;
• Improved accessibility for wheelchairs;
• Multiple seating options that cater to different mobility needs;
• Improved efficiency for bus operators – the existing bus stops on the north and south side of Vere Street were relocated to the central island to form a more efficient saw-tooth arrangement, providing better traffic flow for buses, and more space for pedestrians on the footpaths on both side of the central island.

Coun Audra Wynter, council portfolio holder for highways, transport and parks, said: “The new Bulwell bus station looks fantastic, and is a much more welcoming space for the public as well as being more efficient for buses.

"One of our big priorities is to help people choose more sustainable ways of making local journeys and having good public transport facilities is a huge part of that.

“I’m so pleased also to be hearing such great feedback from Bulwell residents who are enjoying using their new bus station – thank you.”