Derby Bus Station

Bus Station Action Group | The Riverlights Plans | Bus Station Photos


Derby Bus Station was demolished during summer of 2006.  The Art Deco bus station, the last of its kind in the UK, was designed by Charles Aslin and built in 1933 by G Walker and Slater of Uttoxetor Old Road, Derby.  It closed on 22nd October 2005.   Now that the building has been demolished, two years of development work will begin on what will be the Riverlights complex.  This will include a new bus station.   

Protesters, who were against the demolition of the building, camped on the roof of the bus station, in the hope that it would halt or stall the development.  A caravan was hoisted up onto the building at one stage!  The bus station was demolished nonetheless. 

The latest, and what could be the last in a line of problems, was when the developer for of Riverlights went bankrupt early on in 2006.  This was embarrassing for the council, as they had not secured a bond, which would ensure that the development would go ahead!  The Bus Station had be closed for over 3 months, no work was being done, and none planned - the project was in limbo.  It was unfortunate, that at this time the protesters were on the roof, and were being blamed by many for being a hindrance to the development.  Some seemed not to realise that the lack of "progress" was due to bad planning.  Fortunately, for the council at least, another developer took the project on in March/April 2006.  However by October 2006 no further work had been undertaken at the site. 

To me, the Riverlights project so far has been hiccup after hiccup, right from the start.  Only time will tell if it is a failiure or a success.  Personally I am against the planned development, not because im against progress, or even that i especially wanted to retain the old building - although i do think the main upper deck cafe area could have been retained, and incorporated,  as it was a part of Derbys history. 

Will Riverlights just be a multi-storey building, blighting the river and the sky line of Derby?  The bus station will be smaller, it may be better designed to suit modern buses but surely a smaller one will give problems.  Buses will have to reverse out of the bays.  Will there be just one exit and one entrance?  The old bus station had 4 of each! It seems to me that the development is based around other features, and not the bus station - which is merely an addition.  I feel a simpler less intrusive building based around public transport could have been build on this site.  One that would have cost less, and take less time to create, resulting in less distruption to bus passengers in Derby.  

Many letters, both for and against, have been featured in the the local newspaper " The Derby Evening Telegraph" , on the opinions page. 


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*Information last updated 1st October 2006