A new report from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has found that the £12m relocation of the Rochdale Interchange ‘played a key role’ in the regeneration of the town centre.
The project, which has become a 'blueprint' for regeneration in the region, saw the creation of a new facility in the town centre while ‘freeing up’ land at the former bus station site for use in other projects.
The evaluation report states that without the new interchange, it would ‘not have been possible’ to deliver TfGM’s £250m town centre masterplan, which it said is nearing completion, as there would not have been enough land available.
The report states that ‘stakeholders and businesses in the town centre acknowledged the importance of these developments in stimulating economic growth and regeneration’, along with a 49% increase in overall satisfaction with the new interchange compared to the old bus station and a 48% increase in feeling safe after dark.
The Rochdale Interchange was the first in a line of projects that seek to use transport hubs to regenerate communities, with TfGM saying that the Rochdale Interchange, which opened in 2013, acted as a ‘blueprint’ for other similar projects. These include the ongoing Bury Interchange project and the recently opened facility in Stockport.
Cllr Danny Meredith, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: ‘The new interchange is a major part of the wider regeneration of Rochdale town centre and was a catalyst for the huge amount of investment this area has enjoyed in recent years, which has transformed it beyond all recognition.
‘Rochdale’s excellent connectivity, not just in the town centre, but across the borough, is one of the many things that makes it an attractive place to live. Having first class transport facilities like the interchange makes it easier for people to use public transport to get about.’
Paul Ambrose, manager of Rochdale BID, added: ‘The Interchange has made a huge difference to residents, visitors and the business community. It is a first-class facility that is safe and welcoming, and sits impressively alongside key town centre regeneration schemes, which include Number One Riverside, the multi-use public building, the Rochdale Riverside leisure and retail scheme, and Upper Banks, which comprises the Hampton by Hilton Hotel and 242 apartments.
‘Taken together, these projects, have significantly increased the number of people living and working in the town centre, as well as the number of visitors to Rochdale.’
The full report can be found here.
