Compromise by Design

Phase One of Bath’s new Southgate shopping precinct opens today. And all within a short walk of the already complete new bus station. Shopping’s a vast improvement upon the early 1970s covered square that it replaces.

Brand new bus for a brand new bus station. New Volvo B7RLE Eclipse 2s with their pretty features have recently begun on the busy 173 Bath-Wells

But is the accompanying new bus station better than before?

The so-called Busometer

Bath’s bus station opened in the spring to a welter of criticism. The structure at one end was likened to a gasometer but, actually, it’s a welcome relief from Southgate’s swollen regency facsimile. The bus station adds something iconic to the otherwise mediocre architectural merits of Southgate. You watch, it’ll be Listed in 50 year’s time and rightly so.

The Southgate shopping centre tries to emulate Bath Regency

What about operationally? The station has its pluses… and minuses. Passengers no doubt appreciate the large, light, glazed & covered area, now sheltering them from the worst autumn rain & chills. It’s well designed for them. The old canopied bus station seemed incredibly exposed and caught the wind no matter its direction. The passenger area befits a major tourist & shopping destination.

A modern, comfortable, well lit area offers shelter & space for passengers

Passengers won’t like the inquiry office closing at 1700. In a busy tourist honeypot & sub-regional centre (especially at 1700), such an early closure seems strange. At least there is a supervisor on duty till after 2300, though this isn’t immediately obvious.

Difficult to break out of the waiting area unless a driver opens the stand doors

Operationally, the bus exit is difficult, especially at peak times. The signals hold general traffic on the road outside but this tends to stop too proud of its white line, hampering drivers of longer buses turning right. His could be cured by setting the white line back a few yards. A bigger exit yellow box would benefit all buses. Currently, some traffic ignores the modest box junction, leaving no room for buses to squeeze out in either direction. During peak traffic conditions, only one or at most two buses can leave at a time.

City services continue to use the road outside. There appear problems with parking

And the operational side of the site itself could be classed as a slight compromise. Buses take longer travelling to the south and west but that’s an acceptable trade off in terms of facilities. Minimising operating space means a bus station that operates on a nose-in-reverse-out system. This is no worse than beforehand but minor bumps are already reported. First seems no longer in a position financially to deploy the planned banksmen. It’s as well, then, that by good design pedestrians will find the operating apron virtually impregnable. If they do break through the diver-operated stand security doors, there’s nowhere for them to go, no destination that they can reach by straying into the running area.

Some buses travelled through the bus station at nearly double the permitted speed

One omission that was a feature of the old was the plaque in memory of the late driver whose bus in the mid-1970s was hit by a tree. At least I couldn’t see it. It’s a shame First has not yet reset the reminder of a fallen comrade who died in service.