The inner concourse of Bradford Interchange will likely re-open in the next month – councillors have been told.
The indoor space, which includes the station’s public toilets, will reopen ahead of the bus station finally reopening in early 2025.
Councillors from across West Yorkshire were given an update on the status of the bus station – which has been shut for safety reasons since January – at a meeting on Monday.
A recent report into the station’s future said that with the right measures in place, the station could safely reopen early in 2025.
But the report also said the structure’s age meant work should also be carried out to develop a new station that would incorporate the planned tram system for Bradford.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee heard the latest on the long running Interchange saga at the meeting.
They were told that work is currently underway to reopen the inner concourse, which will provide much needed facilities and shelter for rail commuters.
Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the Transport Committee, said: “This has been a major issue for Bradford for some time now. It is encouraging to see the Combined Authority mobilising to re-open the Interchange. Our residents will be really relieved to hear this.”
Simon Warburton, Executive Director for Transport at the Authority, said the report “confirmed the structure is comparable with a building of its age” and that the risks of reopening the Interchange were low.
He said health and safety lawyers had advised the authority to bring in an independent structural engineer to have a say on the future of the station.
Dr Mike Webster, a forensic structural engineer and author of 40 published reports on structural safety, said the decision to close the station was the right one, and said there was a low risk of reopening the Interchange if regular inspections were held and the right measures put in place.
Mr Warburton said: “It was also suggested that the retail units beneath the bus station slab should not be reopened until remedial actions are taken.”
When asked when the inside concourse would be reopening, Mr Warburton said: “We’re hopeful all the work should be completed in the early part of November.”
Cllr Hinchliffe added: “It sounds like all the places in the Interchange we know as passengers will be open again. While that happens, we’ll also be looking ahead to develop an Interchange fit for the future. The reopened Interchange will be there for the short to medium term.”
Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Planning, Regeneration and Transport on Bradford Council, said: “It is good news it is reopening, but obviously we never wanted to see it closed. It has caused so much disruption.
“It has been a difficult year for buses, but we’ll be ploughing into 2025 with a bit of momentum.”
