New Bus Station at Basingstoke
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THE future growth of Basingstoke under the "overspill" plan to transfer population from London has been taken into account in the design of a new bus station built for Wilts and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., and opened on June 28. Spaciously laid out, it provides for 150,000 departures by the company's buses per year but it is expected that this will increase considerably.
The site, near the former street terminal at " The Barge," was hitherto used as a bus park, although it was purchased with a view to building a bus station by Venture, Ltd., when that concern was part of the Red and White group. The Venture services were transferred to Wilts and Dorset after the Red and White concern voluntarily sold its bus undertakings to the British Transport Commission 11 years
Il144.0‘i ago.
The main block incorporates inquiry, booking and left luggage offices, a waiting room, café and newspaper kiosk on the ground floor and administrative and staff offices mainly on the first floor.
The sawtooth platform has 16 general loading hays plus two loading points for town service routes. Four bays are also provided for express service routes.
A maintenance workshop with five inspection
pits. a Dawson bus washer and fuelling facilities replaces a former garage in Victoria Street, on the other side of the town, eliminating considerable unremunerative running. An extensive bus park is provided.
In addition to the Wilts and Dorset company's own vehicles, the new bus station will be used by buses of the Thames Valley and Aldershot and District companies and those of King Alfred (R. Chisneli and Sons; Ltd.), Ocliham Motor Services, Ltd., and 0. Porter, of Glummer. Express services of Royal Blue, Associated Motorways and Smith's Luxury Coaches (Reading), Ltd., will also use the station.
The new premises are expected to relieve traffic congestion in the town, whilst interchange facilities are greatly improved.