Chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, Cllr Andrew Fender, was invited to the Rochdale Interchange site for a tour of the building works before tightening the final bolt of the newly erected steelwork.
Once complete, the £11.5m new transport hub will be a European first: a reduced carbon public transport hub running with the aid of hydropower, thanks to an innovative hydroelectric turbine installed next to the interchange site which will convert energy from the adjacent River Roch into electricity. The turbine will produce up to 86,000kWh of electricity every year, which will help to reduce the interchange’s carbon footprint by over a quarter.
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For passengers, the interchange will boast 14 bus stands co-ordinated by LCD information boards, a Travelshop and fully accessible public toilets. In future, it will also provide easy access to the new Rochdale Town Centre Metrolink stop.
Cllr Fender said: "It was a privilege to be invited to take part and I am very encouraged by the excellent work that is going on to construct the new interchange.
"Rochdale Interchange will be a very striking gateway into the town and will provide improved public transport options for local residents, including the new Metrolink line."
(CD/GK)
