Pictures: Passengers welcome plans for new-look Telford town centre bus hub
Plans to give Telford bus station a radical new look, with space for more town centre shops, were unveiled to hundreds of people at a public exhibition.
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Bus users say they are pleased with the proposals which will keep the bus station in Telford at its current location.
Bosses at Telford Shopping Centre announced last month that the existing station will instead undergo a revamp in a multi-million pound scheme that would see a number of large shops built next to it.
More than 400 people attended the bus station yesterday for the start of a three-day public exhibition to view the plans.
Jennifer Jones, from Stirchley, uses the station as a connection between her home and work in Wellington. She said: "I'm glad it is staying where it is."
Shirley Jones and Stuart Bird, from Malinslee, said they might start to use the bus rather than paying for car parking.
Miss Jones said: "It will be smarter, safer and I think it will encourage people to use the buses more."
The latest plans respond to public feedback from last year, when shoppers said they wanted to keep the bus station at its current home where passengers are protected from the elements.
The bus station redevelopment is the latest part of the multi-million pound "master plan" that is transforming the area with new shops, cafés and restaurants, along with the redevelopment of the Southern Quarter, formerly Focus Do It All, and Northern Quarter, formerly Asda.
A new entrance to the shopping centre will be added from Northfield Street, formerly known as Coach Central, next to the bus station. This would face on to a new plaza, possibly with its own cafe, as part of a plan to create better pedestrian access around the shopping centre.
Inside the shopping centre there will also be major work to renovate Wrekin Square, New Row and New Street.
The delivery of the proposals has been made possible by a £1.3 million contribution to the total costs that Telford & Wrekin Council has secured from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.
Guy Beaumont, senior development and asset manager at Sovereign Centros, which is leading the redevelopment, said that the plans would transform the area.
He said: "We are now looking forward to hearing the public's feedback as we refine our proposals prior to planning submission."
