No mention of Interchange on transport agenda "staggering"

West Yorkshire Combined Authority shut the Interchange in January after concrete fell from the structure into an underground car park, and the station has been closed ever since then.

Next Friday, the Authority will hold its first Transport Committee in months, but the Interchange closure does not feature on the agenda – something a Bradford councillor has described as “genuinely staggering.”

Members will, however, be asked to approve £3.5m funding for a new roof for Leeds bus station, to help “stop disruption to passengers.”

The only mention of Bradford Interchange in the 158 page agenda is a reference to how the closure has affected Metro travel centre sales volumes.

WYCA has said surveys on the Interchange are due to last until June, and the results are likely to decide the future of the bus station.

The Transport Committee is made up of councillors across West Yorkshire, and regularly receives updates on transport issues, as well as offering members the chance to grill officers on any issues.

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe is chair of the committee.

The closure of the Interchange has caused huge issues with bus transport in Bradford, with passengers having to use temporary stops dotted around the city centre.

The Transport Committee report into the need for a new roof at Leeds Bus Station says: “The scheme is to replace the bus station roof to provide a safer bus station environment, resulting in improvements to a key hub for bus services in Leeds and across West Yorkshire, supporting sustainable travel choices.

“Delivery of the scheme will improve the bus station experience for all users by reducing the risk of disruption caused by water ingress from the existing roof.

“There has been a long-standing problem with water ingress during wet and severe weather conditions, which has continued to cause disruption to bus passengers and the operational environment.”

A closed Bradford Interchange (Image: Newsquest)

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservatives in Bradford Council, said: “Having just seen the Transport Committee papers for next week I was astounded that the current closure of Bradford Interchange and the complete chaos for bus users in Bradford City Centre is not on the agenda.

“Councillors and the public are not being kept updated and this meeting should be a key meeting to provide an update particularly as the Chair of the Committee is the Leader of Bradford Council who must see the chaos out of her window.

“We have no idea if the Interchange will even reopen and if it does what work is needed and the costs.

“Yet there is a report requesting funding for Leeds Bus Station’s roof.

“Surely Bradford Interchange should be the priority. I hope members of the Transport Committee will challenge WYCA for urgent answers at their meeting next week.

“I have been contacted and spoken to many confused and upset passengers who don’t know where to catch buses, where to get off or how to navigate the City Centre. “There are very few signs and with buses all bunched together at one stop it makes it impossible to know which is your bus.

“Users with a disability and particularly a visual impairment are particularly impacted. “The people of Bradford District deserve to be treated better than this and urgent questions need answering.”

Councillor Matt Edwards, leader of the Greens on Bradford Council, said: "It genuinely is staggering that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport Committee - the body responsible for transport across our region - doesn't feel that the closure of Bradford Interchange deserves a place on the agenda.

"If that wasn't bad enough, this same committee is making the time to discuss how they are going to improve the roof at the bus station in Leeds. I know there are really serious issues with the roof there and these need sorting but bus passengers in Bradford don't even have a bus station right now. How is Bradford Interchange not their top priority?

"The Mayor of West Yorkshire and bosses at WYCA really need to get to grips with this. Bus passengers in Bradford deserve better."

'Public safety is our top priority'

A West Yorkshire Combined Authority spokesperson said: “We closed Bradford Interchange bus station because public safety is our top priority and we continue to work with Bradford Council to limit disruption.

“We will be providing a detailed report at next month’s meeting of the Combined Authority when we will know more from the survey work which is currently underway.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: "The closure of the interchange is hugely frustrating, creating an impact on passengers and visitors to Bradford.
 
"West Yorkshire Combined Authority are bringing a full report to the main Combined Authority meeting, which is led by the Mayor, on June 20.  This allows time for the current extensive surveys on the building to be progressed.  The Transport Committee is a sub-committee of the Combined Authority and not the only place spending decisions on projects like this are made.
 
"The Council continue to work with WYCA, who operate the interchange, to minimise disruption as much as possible and bring forward a solution once the results of the full survey are reported back."