TRANSPORT bosses in York have announced plans for an upgrade of key bus stops in the city, costing £500,000.

City of York Council says the works will create an improved “bus interchange” area, around eight existing stops in Rougier Street and Station Road. They will also improve facilities at busy bus stop areas at Piccadily, Stonebow, Exhbition Square and the Railway Station.

A written report by Julian Ridge, a council transport manager, said six stops on Rougier Street and two on Station Road catered for a very high proportion of York’s bus passengers, including three Park&Ride routes, four of the city’s most frequent services and connecting buses to Hull, Leeds and the East Coast.

He said the cluster of stops was “the nearest thing York has to a bus station”, with the combined number of departures and arrivals comparable to that of city-centre bus stations such as Sheffield’s.

The council plans to replace the 20-year old red bus shelter on Rougier Street with a new one matching others across the city centre. New lights and artworks, which will be developed with York’s colleges and universities, will be included in the design.

There will also be CCTV cameras, new signs, information and maps for passengers and pedestrian crossings.

Coun Dave Merrett, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are transforming York’s bus network, by investing and upgrading existing stops and facilities which will improve the general look and feel city wide but also attractiveness to current and new passengers.

"Encouraging even more people to travel by bus will increase overall bus use in York and also help towards reducing congestion and improving air quality.”

The money for the project comes from the £3.5 million Better Bus Area Fund awarded to the council by the Department for Transport last year and the mini-interchange plan was part of the council’s bid. The council said local businesses and properties had been consulted.

The plan will be rubber-stamped by Coun Merrett next Thursday. At the same meeting, he will also approve plans for a redesign of the Museum Street bus stop, which will cost about £75,000 to £80,000 and aims to ease pedestrian flow. That work will include rearranging the adjoining wall and railings and the removal of a cherry tree whose roots are damaging the wall and drainage.

To view the proposals or for details of the meeting and how to attend, visit http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=738&MId=8022