Warwick Bus Station - Progress Updates

Progress Update

30 October 2008

Warwick Bus Station Completed

Work is now completed on the Warwick Bus Station project - eight weeks ahead of schedule.

When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December.

Warwick Bus Station Finished

However, the early completion of archaeological works, combined with a shifting of some of the other workings, means the bus station could open eight weeks early.

The new bus station was built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, offering greatly improved facilities for passengers and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town.

Detailed testing has been carried out at the site over the last two weeks to ensure the buses can negotiate the new bus station safely, and even working with a local group with mobility problems to ensure they can access the buses.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see the efforts undertaken to ensure this project was completed so far ahead of schedule. This project will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre.

“The new bus station will make bus travel easier, and therefore provide a more attractive alternative to the car. It will also provide a more comfortable experience for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”

26 August 2008

When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December.

However, the early completion of archaeological works, combined with a shifting of some of the other workings, means the bus station could now be operational by the end of October.

Warwick Bus Station Near Completion August 2008

The archaeological works are now complete and made some fascinating discoveries, ranging from Neolithic pits containing worked flints and some decorated pottery, dating back about 5,000 years and associated with the settlement known from previous excavations, through to the foundations of the old Mulberry Tree pub.

An exhibition is also now underway at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick, displaying some of the archaeological finds from the first excavations of the original development in the 1960s.

This dig discovered objects such as 6,000-year-old fragments of pottery, and even a silver penny of King Cnut (or Canute), who ruled England in the 11th century.

It is hoped that this exhibition could be expanded in the future to include the latest finds, which are still with the experts.

The new bus station is being built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town.

Motorists are being warned that as part of Phase 3 of the works Puckerings Lane will be closed for a week from September 1, and Market Street will be closed for a week from September 22.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “There have been some fascinating finds on this site, and I’m extremely pleased to hear that at this stage developments are running ahead of schedule. This project will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre.

“The position of the new bus station will make bus travel easier, and therefore provide a more attractive alternative to the car. It will also provide a more comfortable interchange for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”

16 July 2008

Work is running ahead of schedule on the Warwick Bus Station project with hopes running high that the development could be completed early.

Work got underway on the new bus station in early June. It has proved possible to bring forward some of the programme, including the archaeological works, to allay local concerns about the project timescale.

The archaeological works have made some interesting discoveries. Finds so far range from Neolithic pits containing worked flints and some decorated pottery, dating back about 5,000 years and associated with the settlement known from previous excavations, through to the foundations of the old Mulberry Tree pub.

Other highlights include:

Several medieval occupation layers alongside Market Street (which was one of the original streets of the medieval town, and until the early 1800s known as Wall Dyke).

An area of street surface dating to the 1600s laid over the former town ditch after the defences had fallen out of use (now several feet below the surface of the existing highway).

Several large rubbish pits dating from the 1700s and 1800s.

A mass of clay tobacco pipe dating to the mid 1800s together with fragments of the kiln in which they were made.

The former line of Market Street and the foundations (mostly sandstone) of several of the buildings that once lined both sides before they were demolished in the 1960s.
It is hoped that the finds from the site will eventually go on display in the Market Hall Museum.

Meanwhile work is pressing ahead on the site, with contractors McVeigh Construction, starting work early on the drainage and ductwork element of the development.

1 July 2008

The Bus Station site is currently being excavated by the contractors, McVeigh Construction down to the depth required for construction under the supervision of archaeologists from the Warwickshire Museum in accordance with the agreed programme. About two-thirds of the area to be excavated has so far been stripped.

The work has revealed stone and brick building foundations belonging to the buildings that formerly stood to the east of the old line of Market Street. These buildings which were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s, dated mainly to the 18th and 19th centuries. A preliminary survey identified that some of the buildings had cellars and these are now visible. Where they are filled with loose rubble they are being dug out and then backfilled with more stable material. The exposed wall foundations are being photographed and planned.

A few medieval pits have also been identified and small quantities of medieval pottery have been collected, but so far no Anglo-Saxon or Neolithic remains have been revealed.

The survival of 18th- and 19th-century walls and floor surfaces over the whole area shows that little or none of this part of the site was previously excavated in the 1960s/70s.

Further, earlier remains survive below the construction depth, but, as these will not be disturbed by the construction work, they will not be excavated, but protected and preserved for the future.

10th June 2008

Works got underway on Warwick’s new bus station, with phase one to see the whole site fenced off and cleared over the next four weeks.

Full press release on Warwick Bus Station.

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30 October 2008 Warwick Bus Station Completed Work is now completed on the Warwick Bus Station project - eight weeks ahead of schedule. When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December.
However, the early completion of archaeological works, combined with a shifting of some of the other workings, means the bus station could open eight weeks early. The new bus station was built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, offering greatly improved facilities for passengers and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town. Detailed testing has been carried out at the site over the last two weeks to ensure the buses can negotiate the new bus station safely, and even working with a local group with mobility problems to ensure they can access the buses. Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see the efforts undertaken to ensure this project was completed so far ahead of schedule. This project will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre. “The new bus station will make bus travel easier, and therefore provide a more attractive alternative to the car. It will also provide a more comfortable experience for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”
26 August 2008 When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December. However, the early completion of archaeological works, combined with a shifting of some of the other workings, means the bus station could now be operational by the end of October.
The archaeological works are now complete and made some fascinating discoveries, ranging from Neolithic pits containing worked flints and some decorated pottery, dating back about 5,000 years and associated with the settlement known from previous excavations, through to the foundations of the old Mulberry Tree pub. An exhibition is also now underway at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick, displaying some of the archaeological finds from the first excavations of the original development in the 1960s. This dig discovered objects such as 6,000-year-old fragments of pottery, and even a silver penny of King Cnut (or Canute), who ruled England in the 11th century. It is hoped that this exhibition could be expanded in the future to include the latest finds, which are still with the experts. The new bus station is being built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town. Motorists are being warned that as part of Phase 3 of the works Puckerings Lane will be closed for a week from September 1, and Market Street will be closed for a week from September 22. Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “There have been some fascinating finds on this site, and I’m extremely pleased to hear that at this stage developments are running ahead of schedule. This project will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre. “The position of the new bus station will make bus travel easier, and therefore provide a more attractive alternative to the car. It will also provide a more comfortable interchange for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”
16 July 2008 Work is running ahead of schedule on the Warwick Bus Station project with hopes running high that the development could be completed early. Work got underway on the new bus station in early June. It has proved possible to bring forward some of the programme, including the archaeological works, to allay local concerns about the project timescale. The archaeological works have made some interesting discoveries. Finds so far range from Neolithic pits containing worked flints and some decorated pottery, dating back about 5,000 years and associated with the settlement known from previous excavations, through to the foundations of the old Mulberry Tree pub. Other highlights include: Several medieval occupation layers alongside Market Street (which was one of the original streets of the medieval town, and until the early 1800s known as Wall Dyke). An area of street surface dating to the 1600s laid over the former town ditch after the defences had fallen out of use (now several feet below the surface of the existing highway).
Several large rubbish pits dating from the 1700s and 1800s. A mass of clay tobacco pipe dating to the mid 1800s together with fragments of the kiln in which they were made. The former line of Market Street and the foundations (mostly sandstone) of several of the buildings that once lined both sides before they were demolished in the 1960s. It is hoped that the finds from the site will eventually go on display in the Market Hall Museum. Meanwhile work is pressing ahead on the site, with contractors McVeigh Construction, starting work early on the drainage and ductwork element of the development.
1 July 2008 The Bus Station site is currently being excavated by the contractors, McVeigh Construction down to the depth required for construction under the supervision of archaeologists from the Warwickshire Museum in accordance with the agreed programme. About two-thirds of the area to be excavated has so far been stripped. The work has revealed stone and brick building foundations belonging to the buildings that formerly stood to the east of the old line of Market Street. These buildings which were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s, dated mainly to the 18th and 19th centuries. A preliminary survey identified that some of the buildings had cellars and these are now visible. Where they are filled with loose rubble they are being dug out and then backfilled with more stable material. The exposed wall foundations are being photographed and planned. A few medieval pits have also been identified and small quantities of medieval pottery have been collected, but so far no Anglo-Saxon or Neolithic remains have been revealed. The survival of 18th- and 19th-century walls and floor surfaces over the whole area shows that little or none of this part of the site was previously excavated in the 1960s/70s.
Further, earlier remains survive below the construction depth, but, as these will not be disturbed by the construction work, they will not be excavated, but protected and preserved for the future.
10th June 2008 Works got underway on Warwick’s new bus station, with phase one to see the whole site fenced off and cleared over the next four weeks. Full press release on Warwick Bus Station.