Work on Hunstanton’s new Travel and Community Hub set to start next year and complete by 2025
Work on a travel and community hub along the coast is set to begin next year which promises to make a town more accessible.
A bus station and library space are set to come to the Westgate site in Hunstanton as part of a £2 million project by Norfolk County Council.
The council says this will enable residents, tourists and those who use the town better access to services and make travel easier.
The work on the site is planned to start in September 2024 to avoid disruption during the busy seasonal period with all elements of the project complete by spring 2025.
It is also hoped the bus station, along with new and improved routes, will help people combine walking and cycling more in travelling alongside public transport.
An improved library would include access to adult education and tourist information – all alongside space for community groups and outreach.
Cllr Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: “We know that one of the biggest challenges for people who want to take public transport more often is onwards journeys.
“This new-look Hunstanton Bus Station answers those problems by bringing cycling and walking infrastructure right to the doors of the bus.
“With a library and other services right in the same place, it makes greener, more sustainable travel a real, viable choice for service users and visitors to this beautiful part of our coastline.”
The project includes the refurbishment of community toilet facilities as well as more green space and a pedestrian crossing for ease of access.
Cllr Andrew Jamieson, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for finance, said: “This new hub won’t only bring together public transport, cycling and walking, it will also put the community’s library and the services it offers right at the heart of Hunstanton, easily accessible and on hand for anyone arriving in the town.
“I’m delighted that after much hard work we’re now able to make this vision a reality for Hunstanton, and I hope we will be able to bring truly, conveniently integrated transport and services to other towns in Norfolk in future.”
The funding came from £1 million being funded through the money received from the DfT for Norfolk’s Bus Service Improvement Plan and £1 million from Norfolk County Council’s Capital Fund.
The hub will enable people to travel along the coast and find information on walking and cycling routes.
It will also hold tourist information and library activities will also be on offer.
The project is being run by Norfolk County Council’s Communities team, who will work with various partners to deliver the hub.
Work has been taking place on some early concept designs for the Travel and Community Hub, including the creation of several visuals showing what the site could look like. These visuals are early concepts and are not a final design.
Detailed design on the hub will take place from November, with final designs expected to be completed by spring 2024.
The works to be carried out include refurbishing the former library building to create a modern and welcoming community space, refurbished toilets and the inclusion of a new changing places toilet, long and short stay cycle parking, new bus shelters and improved wayfinding and seating in a public realm area.
