Plans to upgrade Heckmondwike’s “bus-hub” to a new bus station have hit a wall as skyrocketing costs have set the scheme back by six months.
When plans were set out in 2021, the development of the town’s bus station was expected to cost £4.97m and be finished by April this year. However, by the time 2023 rolled around, costs had shot up to £8.6m, and the completion date pushed back to December.
Now, a report to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority requests the release of an additional £1.8m – with the project set to cost over £10.4m – and an extension that would allow the works to be finished by 30 June, 2025.
We asked Kirklees Council for the reason behind the recent delays and elevated costs, and a spokesperson said: “Since the submission of the original business case for the Heckmondwike Bus Station project, the council has experienced a period of inflation resulting in rising costs.
“Overall project costings include development, construction, management and materials, which have all been affected by unavoidable price increases.
“As a result, the scheme, funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund, has had to be adjusted accordingly. This has led to a request for additional funding, all of which has resulted in a delay to the start of construction.”
The scheme is being delivered between the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Kirklees Council and will see the number of bus stands increased from four to six, an indoor waiting area, accessible Changing Places facilities, a green roof, and solar panels.
The authorities hope that the scheme will address issues including declining bus use, poor bus user experience, and the climate emergency.
