People across North East Lincolnshire have responded with mixed views to the council’s plans for a new transport hub encompassing rail and bus services, alongside car and bicycle parking.
Under a new proposal, the multi-storey Abbey Walk car park could be demolished as early as Spring 2025, to make way for the new development. Several other units on Osbourne Street would also be removed if the plan goes ahead.
Abbey Walk multi-storey car park has been closed since May following the discovery of structural damage. Now the council is pursing the idea of replacing it with a new ‘multi-functional’ hub for buses, cycles and other transport users, connecting people with the railway station.
But the project has divided public opinion, with some in favour of having all transport options in one space, and others preferring to retain the bus stops closer to the centre of town.
Reacting to the plans, one resident said: “This doesn’t make any sense. If this goes ahead they will be moving public transport away even further from the shopping centre. What about people with limited mobility, they will have to walk quite a distance to access public transport. If they had used Riverhead Square better to create a new main station I wouldn’t have much of an issue, but this seems like it will create more issues than it will solve.”
One person wrote: “Sounds good but where would everyone that parks there park? Would you be creating a new multistorey elsewhere? You have loads of housing being built on the outskirts and they will be wanting to come into town at some point. There doesn’t appear to be much foresight in planning these days.”
“The council knocked down a perfectly good bus station years ago, to make another one in a different place and pave the original one. What we’ve got now works. Why do they need to disrupt everything all over again?”, added another.
However not everyone was opposed to the plans, with some expressing hopes that the development could help connect people to town centre businesses outside of Freshney Place.
“I work on Bethlehem St and think this is actually a good idea. We have a lot of customers who struggle with parking too. Think a lot of people forget that the town centre is a lot more than just freshney place,” explained one local.
More to follow.
(Image: Discover NEL)
