(15 Oct 2022, 4:41 pm)Starscream wrote This was a tiny mention as a far off prospect in the BSIP,  and has been mentioned again as a long term goal in the aftermath of the postponement of Black Street pedestrian.

If Waitrose is anything to go by, Marks and Spencer are sure to close their Eldon Square store soon, so I think the time is right to partner with Eldon Square to draw up plans for a single bus station that occupies the current footprint of the store, corkscrew car park and the two current bus stations.

This could surely accommodate all Newcastle services, cross town and terminators, using Percy Street, Great North Road and Durant Road as the access routes.

Serving Central Station would have to be a secondary concern, as it arguably already is now.

It's not ideal, but developing retail and parking over the top of this larger apron is the common way these days of funding such large projects.

Layover parking would perhaps have to be moved elsewhere, but that's not exactly an insurmountable problem.

Such a project surely fits the present priorities of reducing car usage (especially private commuter parking and city centre residential parking), increasing bus use (one station over the Metro being ideal for a future franchise), and it definitely allows the pedestrianisation and cycling up of Blacket Street and more besides. It may even suit a further change in use of Eldon Square from retail to leisure and residential, perhaps even start-up space in partnership with the university.

Stick a solar wind turbine farm on the roof for opportunity charging and heating, you will perhaps even have the Greens ready to support it.

Far off into the future, it will be an ideal hub for driverless personal transport pods (and the HyperLoop station on the East Coast Main Tunnel).

Marks and Spencer in Newcastle 100% won't be closing. It's one of their flagship stores and the Food Hall is one of the top performers in the country (used to be the top at one point).

It's why it constantly gets refurbishments and anything new in it. It's just recently had a new opticians put into it aswell which pretty much confirms it isn't going anywhere.

If there's another bus station it needs to be to the South of the city to stop Gateshead and/or Metro Centre buses trundling across the city. If you really want one near Eldon Square built it opposite on Eldon Garden it's a waste of space, the temporary buildings which have been there for decades and on the open car park round the back there's enough space for it.