£220,000 revamp of Hawick bus station now under way, thanks to extra cash being secured in nick of time

An X95 Galashiels bus at Mart Street in Hawick on Tuesday before the stops there were relocated to nearby North Bridge Street.

Improvements to the Mart Street interchange got under way on Monday, and that extra handout of £70,000 will ensure they live up to their original billing instead of falling short, as had been feared.

Scottish Borders Council bosses initially announced that phase one of that work would last four to five weeks and cost £150,000, but that budget has now been increased.

Over that period, services 396, H1, H2 and X95 will transfer to North Bridge Street, with a temporary bus stop having been created outside the Baby Shop.

The work now under way includes relocating two existing bus shelters to Mart Street’s bus stop island, with that island being widened, extended and repaved, plus new street furniture, lighting and trees being added.

Further works on the way include new car park road markings and signs, the introduction of two disabled bays and removal of one entry to the Mart Street car park to allow the bus stop island to be linked to the existing pavement.

Additionally, the current Mart Street car park and bus stop exit junction is to be converted into a two-way junction, offering improved traffic flow due to buses no longer turning right to get in or out.

Though that work was welcomed by town provost and Hawick and Hermitage councillor Watson McAteer, he feared the town was about to be short-changed as conspicuous by its absence from the council’s initial announcement was one element central to the original plan – a modern passenger shelter with electronic signage.

Mr McAteer contacted the council to clarify the situation, and, in response, the local authority has since revealed that a further handout of £70,000 has been promised by Transport Scotland to pay for the new shelter.

A council spokesperson said: “A total of £150,000 from Transport Scotland is being used to carry out improvements to the Hawick bus interchange in Mart Street which include refurbishing and relocating two of the existing bus shelters to Mart Street’s bus stop island.

“In an update to last week’s news release, the council is pleased to confirm that further expenditure of £70,000 has now been agreed with Transport Scotland which will also deliver a new bus shelter at Mart Street.

“This additional funding is very welcome and brings the budget to deliver the whole project in Hawick to the full £220,000 required.”

Mr McAteer said: “It is good news that the road lay-out is changing as it has been a problem from the day it was created.

“Councillors’ involvement has been mainly concerned with a new bus shelter to replace the three old ones and Transport Scotland making a £150,000 grant available.

“With plans for a new shelter, our thoughts then turned to the road layout and an opportunity to improve this.

“Last week, however, there was something of a role reversal, with the road becoming the focus and badged as phase one.

“It was clear last week that the shelter would be phase two. However, there was no confirmed funding, hence my annoyance.

“I am absolutely delighted that the council has secured funding to create a new safer road layout at the Mart Street bus station and to provide a modern passenger shelter.

“It appears that Transport Scotland have increased the funding to £220,000 to ensure all of the work can be completed.

“This is excellent news and will bring about much-needed new facilities for those visitors arriving at and departing from Hawick on public transport.”

In order to deliver the vast majority of the works by the end of March, as required under the grant funding arrangements, Mart Street car park closed on Monday, with the bus stop being relocated to North Bridge Street yesterday.

The council’s executive member for roads and infrastructure, Selkirkshire councillor Gordon Edgar, said: “We appreciate we are not providing much notice for these works for the community, but we hope they will enjoy better facilities after the improvements are made.

“We need to thank the bus operators for assisting us with the temporary relocation of the bus stop, which will be advertised through signage this week, as well as bus passengers and road users for their co-operation during the works.”