Digbeth Coach Station

Digbeth coach Station in Birmingham, West Midlands, England is owned and operated by National Express. It is just south-east of the city centre. A major interchange on Britain's coach network, it is the largest coach station owned by National Express, with services to destinations throughout Great Britain, Ulsterbus services to Belfast and Eurolines services to Dublin and Poland. It was built by Midland Red in 1929, and until 1997 was used by Midland Red West as a depot.

With the failure of planning permission for a new coach station in Great Charles Street, [ [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=3157&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1338 Birmingham Coach Station Application Withdrawn] ] it was decided to demolish the existing structure and build a new coach station on the site. Planning permission for the design by MAKE Architects was granted by the city council. National Express commissioned SBS Architects to redesign the plans to incorporate most of the existing façade. The final planning application was submitted on October 29, 2007 and the new coach station is due to open in late 2009. In line with other coach stations, it will have an open area for coaches so that exhaust fumes do not collect in the building. There will be 16 coach bays and retail units on the ground floor. The redevelopment will cost an estimated £15 million. [ [http://www.nationalexpress.com/utilities/press37.cfm NatEx press release 29 October 2007] ]

It closed on November 12, 2007, and during reconstruction National Express is using a temporary site in Oxford Street on the opposite side of Digbeth High Street, called Birmingham Central Coach Station.

References

External links

* [http://www.travelbirmingham.co.uk/travel/dom/Stations/digb.htm Travel Birmingham]
* [http://www.totaltravel.co.uk/travel/midlands/west-midlands/guide/coaches-birmingham Totaltravel.com]
* [http://www.nationalexpress.com/utilities/press37.cfm National Express news on planning application]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7067087.stm News article with pictures]