WORK will start on a new £3.2 million transport hub in Taunton next week.

Somerset Council, with contractor DR Jones, are due to start work on the scheme – on the old bus station site near Castle Green – on Monday (March 9).

The Government-funded facility, a joint initiative with Somerset and Taunton Town Councils, will serve as a vital hub for bus services serving Taunton and the county and is set to be operational before the end of the year.

The Taunton Transport Hub scheme will refurbish and upgrade the existing buildings and will include:

• A new bus operational layout with eight bus stops, including two in Castle Way.
• Modern bus shelters with solar power, seating and protection from the weather.
• Real time digital displays on bus timings and connections.
• A waiting room and toilet.
• Cycle shelters, parking and cycle repair stand with tools.
• Disabled and taxi parking bays.
• Public realm area with planting and seating and a wider pavement to Castle Green.
• Central rain gardens with attractive planting to manage rainwater run-off.

Taunton Town Council is also looking at further proposals which may include refreshments and enhanced toilet facilities.

As part of the project, a drop-in will be held for the public at Wyndham Hall, Taunton, on Wednesday, March 18, running from 3.30pm to 7pm, where visitors can find out more about the facility and meet the contractor and council teams.

The transport hub will be developed on the former Taunton Bus Station site. Picture: Somerset Council

Lead member for transport and waste services at Somerset Council, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said: “The Transport Hub is a key part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan for Taunton and Somerset.

“We want to make bus travel more attractive for people so that it is a genuine alternative to travelling by car to work, college or for a day out.

“By providing clean, warm waiting facilities, somewhere safe to leave your bike, buggy or scooter, and real time information on bus times we are making it easier for people to make that choice.”

And the council’s lead member for economic development, planning and assets, Cllr Mike Rigby, added: “This will be a busy, well-designed and highly functional new gateway to Taunton with pleasant public spaces and good connectivity to the town centre.

“This has been a bit of an eyesore for a while and it’s fantastic that we have got this funding to transform not just the building but this area of Taunton. We want to ensure visitors’ first impression of our County town is a positive one, and that the hub complements its historic heart.”

READ MORE: Taunton news from your Somerset Leveller