Passengers face two-year wait for bus station work

Bus passengers in Huddersfield will have to wait more than two years for upgrades to the town's bus station despite initially told it would be completed by the end of 2025.

Campaigners say Huddersfield Bus Station is in "desperate need of refurbishment", but a £27m scheme to improve the site is still awaiting final approval from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).

At a meeting of Kirklees Council, Heather Peacock from Better Buses West Yorkshire branded the current state of the bus station an "absolute disgrace".

A WYCA spokesperson said: "We expect to give final approval for the scheme this spring, and hope for work to be complete on the new facility by summer 2028.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Peacock said: "It's a mess. We desperately need a refurbishment. It just gets worse for passengers and staff – staff will be frustrated as well."

Planning permission for the revamped station was granted last February and the latest plans for the site were submitted by the council in June.

Some elements have been stripped back from the original plans to "optimise" costs and environmental impact - including a smaller canopy with a "living roof" and a cycle parking area rather than a dedicated cycle hub.

The WYCA spokesperson added: "Our ambitious plans for Huddersfield bus station will provide passengers with a more accessible, energy efficient and modern bus station.

"Regular health and safety checks and inspections are carried out at the bus station, along with an ongoing programme of maintenance and cleaning."

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