Children get hard hat tour of new bus station

Students from Grange Park Primary School donned hard hats and high visibility vests to get a sneak peek at Telford’s new bus station.

The Year Four and Five children were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the construction project which will transform the bus station area of the town centre.

Lisa Millington, assistant head of Grange Park Primary School, said: “We are always looking for exciting educational opportunities for our students, and this visit gave the children chance to learn a lot about their local environment.

“They were able to see real construction taking place and discuss the work being done, as well as exploring the reasons for improving public transport in their community.

“There were also important safety lessons to ensure they understand why they should never enter a building site.

“Back in school the children will continue to reflect on the themes of their town, their community, and we will be returning to the bus station later in the year to bury a time capsule, giving them a very real connection with the project.”

The new bus station, which is being developed in close partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council and Arriva, will include a weather-protected canopy and seating for travellers. It is hoped that the fresh, safe new environment will encourage increased use of public transport.

Katie Broome, marketing manager for the Telford Centre, added: “We were thrilled to welcome the Grange Park children to have a closer look at the bus station development and learn about the improvements we are making to the centre.

“They asked very intelligent questions about the reasons why the bus station is being rebuilt, how the project was planned and delivered, and the impact on the town’s traffic. It was a pleasure to host the children and their teachers.”

The new bus station is the latest phase of Telford Centre’s multi-million pound transformation.

The Southern Quarter launched at Easter, bringing top restaurants TGI Friday’s and Prezzo to the town.

Meanwhile work has begun to redevelop the Northern Quarter, which will house an Aldi supermarket alongside other brands. Plans are also approved for a new Fashion Mall, enabling Next and New Look to move to larger stores within the Centre.