Bid for £67m bus station funding

A new city centre bus station could be built in Leicester - to cope with an expected 25% increase in bus travel.

Plans are being submitted to the government with a request for £67m to buy land for the building around Charles Street and Humberstone Gate.

The city council said a purpose-built bus station would make more efficient use of limited space.

Currently buses use a station in St Margaret's Way and pick up passengers in the centre from kerb side stops.

Building issues

Councillor Patrick Kitterick, from the city council, said the current situation using St Margaret's Way was unsatisfactory .

"At the moment we are running out of the kerb space simply for the buses to pull up and pick up passengers.

"Hopefully this bid will address all these issues."

Some commuters have said services would be improved by a review of services and routes.

Building issues mean the new station is not expected to be completed until around 2014.