Durham bus station disruption to last 7 months as major repairs begin

Contractors began removing and replacing defective cladding at Durham Bus Station this week as part of a redevelopment project. 

Durham County Council said the repairs are needed after an external company originally installed the cladding. 

It means the scaffolding and fencing that have been in place around the building will remain for several more months. 

Contractors began removing and replacing defective cladding at Durham Bus Station this week as part of a redevelopment project. (Image: The Northern Echo)

The bus station opened to passengers in January 2024 after a £10.4 million redevelopment –  but the construction experienced several delays due to the building’s conditions. It was initially set to open in Autumn 2023 before being pushed back several months. 

Today, the main entrance to the bus station, on North Road, still has scaffolding over it, while the surrounding pavements are blocked off by fences.

A lane closure will be in place on North Road throughout the works, but will be temporarily reduced during Durham Miners’ Gala in July. 

Durham County Council said: “We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum and would like to thank residents and visitors to Durham City for their patience and understanding while these works are carried out.”

In 2024, the authority said it hoped the new bus station would be a major transport hub for the county and would attract more shoppers and tourists to the area.

Contractors began removing and replacing defective cladding at Durham Bus Station this week as part of a redevelopment project. (Image: The Northern Echo)

The facility is located on the site of the former bus station, which was demolished to make way for the redevelopment after becoming outdated. 

It was designed to increase the overall space for passengers, which includes increasing the reversing area for buses leaving bays and widening the exit onto North Road to improve visibility, with additional pedestrian access also created. 

Elsewhere in County Durham, a brand new bus station has opened in Bishop Auckland, while work is ongoing to improve the existing facilities in Stanley. 

What do you think of the work on the Durham Bus Station? Let us know in the comments.