Bishop Auckland bus station and car park

In 2020, we successfully bid for £11.8 million of funding from the Future High Streets Fund to improve transport and parking facilities in Bishop Auckland.

The development of the bus station and car park is a part of our wider plan to bring new life to Bishop Auckland town centre through a range of leisure and recreation improvements. This includes reusing and reopening vacant properties, walking and cycling improvements and improving public spaces in the town.

What the new bus station will offer

The new bus station will provide the opportunity to create a modern, fit for purpose bus station within the town centre which will help:

• support businesses by attracting visitors to Bishop Auckland
• address shortages in car parking
• increase the number of people using the town centre
• create a positive impression

The bus station will consist of eight new drive in, reverse out (DIRO) stands with two layover bays.

There will be:

• more male and female toilets, including an accessible toilet
• changing places unit
• a parent and child facility
• CCTV
• improved passenger information compared to that of the current bus station
• retail kiosk

To ensure the new bus station is fully accessible, it will have three level entrance and exit points, anti-slip flooring and seating including a wheelchair space at the front of each passenger waiting areas.

As well as improvements to the bus station, work will also begin on a new 124 space car park.

Improvements will also include high quality paving, street lighting and landscaping. Cycle stands will also be provided as part of the design.

What the new car park will offer

The new 124 space car park will include:

• parking bays which are longer and wider than current standards
• parking for electric vehicle (EV) charging
• wheelchair accessible (WAV) parking bay
• accessible parking bays for blue badge holders
• parking for motorcycles
• bicycle parking on the east side of the bus station

Why we are redeveloping

An improved bus station would replace the existing, low quality bus station and provide the local community with up to date facilities and a safe and welcoming environment for all passengers travelling to and from the town. We hope it will improve journey quality and increase visitor numbers and trade in the town.

There will be less disruption and cost with rebuilding on the same site, rather than on a new one, and most of the construction work will be kept inside the site boundary, which will reduce the effect on surrounding roads.

The new car park will help to reduce pressure on residential areas when visitor numbers increase for the cultural events such as the food festival, Kynren and the local attractions. 

Phase 1: getting the site prepared for construction 

The current bus station on Saddler Street will close after last services on Sunday 10 September 2023 and buses will temporarily start operating from Tenters Street and Newgate Street from Monday 11 September 2023. Alternative loading and parking locations will be available for other road users on Tenters Street and Newgate Street.

Work includes: 

• creating temporary bus stops
• diverting utility pipes etc
• fencing the site off
• clearing the site
• checking for asbestos

May 2024 update

Works have been progressing at Bishop Auckland Bus Station since its closure. Site set up was completed including erection of full hoarding to the site, disconnection of public utilities and demolition of the three existing buildings within the site.

The construction phase of work started on 5 February 2024, with Esh Construction being appointed as Principal Contractor by the council. The initial phase of works involved extensive groundworks within the site. This included the removal of bus shelters, trees and all hard landscaping across the site. The installation of attenuation tanks and site wide drainage is currently in progress, together with excavations to enable installation of retaining walls across the new car park areas.

The new bus station terminal building works will commence following the completion of the groundworks, with the first activity being the pouring of the concrete foundations to the new building.

Where to catch your bus

See Changes to bus timetables and routes.