New vision for town's proposed bus station

Council officers stress the images are just indicative, and nothing is yet set in stone, but they do show a marked contrast with today's dark, dated bus terminal.

A new bus station is central to the borough's £132million 'Heart of Poole' scheme, essentially a plan to completely renovate the area surrounding Kingland Road and Seldown Bridge.

New plans for the Heart of Poole scheme set for the town centre have been announced

These proposals, which are now at the procurement stage, will go before the new shadow executive later this month for backing.

• Kingland Road to be closed permanently as part of £132m Heart of Poole scheme

It is hoped the overall scheme will provide 400 new homes, offices, a new leisure centre, a large public open space, a hotel and the bus station.

And the bus station element will become the largest public transport project in the entire conurbation.

New plans for the Heart of Poole scheme set for the town centre have been announced

BOP head of growth and infrastructure Julian McLaughlin said: "We have a massive success story in terms of bus patronage, there has been a massive increase in Poole and Bournemouth.

"The bus station (Poole) is one that is catering for three million trips a year.

• Poole council comes up with new design for bus station in town centre

"We want more people on buses and we want to do something about that."

The new Poole bus station will be a closed 'airport-style' station, a marked departure from the current facility.

Mr McLaughlin described the overall development, which has the bus station at its epicentre, as "a crucial area that seems to currently sit separate from the other areas of Poole."

But he added: "This is the retail heart of Poole."

Currently the council is involved in ongoing negotiations with bus station operator Go South Coast.

• Former council leader says Poole bus station is 'like a war zone'

Under the plans Kingland Road would be no longer accessible for public traffic, making way for the new bus station and a large public plaza.

Mr McLaughlin said: "The new bus station waiting facilities are enclosed, they are modern, airport-style, and it is moved back across the the edge of the car park – and that creates the maximum possible space for the public realm."

The current bus station layout means many passengers get off buses and have to immediately cross a main road that is busy with traffic.

"Operationally, we want a scheme that provides for the least conflict between pedestrians and buses," said Mr McLaughlin.