£800,000 boost for Rochdale Interchange

Plans for a new public transport interchange in Rochdale have received a major boost after Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority pledged to invest £800,000 in the scheme.

The £12.3 million facility will be built on Smith Street, next to the River Roch, on land owned by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council. It will replace the existing bus station and will play an essential part in the regeneration of the town.

The new bus station would sit alongside the planned Metrolink stop in Rochdale town centre with a view to eventually creating a new public transport interchange.

At the Annual General Meeting of the Authority, councillors agreed to allocate £800,000 in next year’s Capital Programme budget as a contribution towards underwriting the cost of preparing the site.

Councillor Allen Brett, Deputy Chairman and Rochdale spokesperson for the Authority, said: "I’m pleased that the Authority has set aside this funding for the development of Rochdale Interchange.

"The scheme will be a massive boost for the regeneration of the town and we are working to persuade the government to release funding for it. The design of Rochdale Interchange also complements our plans to bring Metrolink to the town."

£1.5 million in funding for the preparation of the site will come from Rochdale Development Agency. The organisation has negotiated the money from the Single Regeneration Budget through the Northwest Regional Development Agency. The fund was set up by the government in 2001 to support regeneration initiatives across England.

John Hudson, Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency, said: "The investment by the Authority allows us to move ahead with the preparation of the site for the new bus station. This is the first important step in implementing our major regeneration plans for Rochdale town centre."

The North West Regional Assembly recently identified the construction of Rochdale Interchange as being a priority for the region and has recommended that the Department for Transport releases funding for the scheme over the next five years.

It is anticipated that an updated bid to secure funding for Rochdale Interchange will be submitted to the Department for Transport later this year.

Date article online: 28/06/2006