Work to create bus transport hub

Leicester bus station's £800,000 facelift to create a state-of-the-art transport hub is under way.

St Margaret's Bus Station had suffered a decline in use, becoming untidy and unsuited to modern needs.

But the redevelopment of The Shires shopping centre, along with an upsurge in coach travel, means it has been given a new lease of life.

Improvements include new offices, toilet facilities, lockers and electronic information boards.

'Radical' improvement

The city council said 40 different services used the bus station, with more than a quarter of a million departures annually.

About 15 coach companies use the bus station as an arrival and departure point for both national and international destinations.

Councillor John Mugglestone, cabinet lead for transportation, said: "If our bus station is going to meet our ambitions for the city, it needs a radical improvement in management and appearance.

"It is a key arrival point for many visitors and a vital link to the city's transport network."

Work is expected to be finished by the end of 2006.