Connell Mott MacDonald has been appointed to provide full engineering services for the development of a new transport interchange building and the redevelopment of the bus station concourse at Ryde esplanade on the Isle of Wight. The £6 million project (approx), being developed by the Isle of Wight Council, will not only help to regenerate the area but will also enhance transport and pedestrian facilities and form a landmark gateway to the island.
The existing accommodation will be replaced by a bespoke interchange facility for rail, bus, taxi, ferry and hovercraft services. The interchange building will incorporate a flexible public space in addition to a café, retail outlet, tourist information office, travel centre, public toilets and ticketing area. New junctions will be introduced helping to reduce bus journey times and significant safety improvements will be achieved through the new bus stand layout and concourse. It is anticipated that the development will encourage sustainable travel as well as reduce congestion and pollution within the esplanade area.
Connell Mott MacDonald is providing full engineering services including structural, foundation and geotechnical, mechanical, electrical and public health engineering services plus highway and infrastructure engineering, transport planning and traffic impact assessments.
The project was commissioned following a design competition held by the Isle of Wight Council. The winning design was developed by Marks Barfield Architects with close support from Connell Mott MacDonald. A key factor in the success was the response to complex transport management issues within a very constrained site. A holistic approach was adopted within the design team, allowing the full integration of functional requirements, engineering constraints and aesthetic considerations of the site.
Planning permission was granted in November 2005 and construction is planned to begin in October with completion expected in late 2007.