“State-of the-art” bus station in Kingston re-opens
The refurbished “state-of the-art” Cromwell Road bus station in Kingston has reopened following a complete transformation. This includes the addition of a customer toilet, improved safety including CCTV, and measures which improve the efficiency of the building.
TfL began work to redevelop the bus station last summer. Customers, it says, will now benefit from “state-of the-art” upgrades including real-time travel information screens and a fully accessible customer toilet. Safety improvements include enhanced LED lightning and CCTV in and around the station, along with a wider passenger island with more space for customers, and a new PA system.
Welfare facilities for bus drivers and staff have also seen improvements, and there is also a new retail unit. The brand-new bus station, TfL says, “will make bus journeys in Kingston much more convenient, safe and attractive.”
It also promises to be a new energy-efficient building, thanks to the addition of a new canopy in the waiting area. The pavements have ben resurfaced with drainage improved thanks to a sustainable urban drainage system that helps prevent the risk of flooding. It does this using extra vegetation and rain gardens. “By having plants rather than concrete and absorbent paving,” TfL says, “some of the water filters into the ground, slowing down the rate at which water enters the sewage system during periods of heavy rain.”
Buses, according to TfL, are London’s most affordable, accessible, and available form of public transportation. They are the main sustainable alternative to cars for journeys that can’t be easily made by walking or cycling. The changes to Cromwell Road bus station are part of TfL’s Bus Action Plan to improve the capital’s bus network, including to the “customer experience and safety.” This, TfL hopes will enable more people using the “sustainable modes of transport.”
A total of 32 bus routes will be served by the station including the Superloop service SL7, several night buses, and a school and university bus.
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