Designing an accessible new bus station so that all passengers can travel through it independently, comfortably and safely
Cardiff Bus Interchange
Cardiff, Wales
£11m (fit out only)
Cardiff Council, Rightacres Property, Transport for Wales
Network Rail, Welsh Government
2024
City (pop. 362,400)
Community / Health & Wellbeing
Mixed
Improved connectivity to other sustainable transport modes / Improvements to pedestrian comfort, convenience and personal safety
Central Square and Westgate Street are in the heart of Cardiff, linking both Cardiff Central train station and the city’s main bus station to the city centre. At the start of the century, the area was run down and overshadowed by the Principality Stadium. In 2010, Cardiff Council and Rightacres Property began developing a new masterplan for the area. This aimed to create a welcoming gateway into the city for bus and rail passengers, in keeping with the urban design principles being used elsewhere in the city centre.
As part of this redevelopment, plans were made to replace the existing open-air bus station. This was no longer fit for purpose, unable to cope with the volume of bus traffic and lacking in modern technology which would help both its operation and its passengers. The ‘Interchange’ building was designed into the Central Square redevelopment. This would be built on the site of a former multi-story car park to house a new bus interchange and retail concessions on the ground floor and commercial and residential space above.
The existing bus station was demolished in 2015, and a temporary on-street bus interchange was set up nearby. Although the new bus interchange was initially due to open in 2017, the Central Square masterplan wasn’t agreed until 2018, and then construction was delayed by the pandemic. Nearly a decade after its predecessor’s demolition, Cardiff Bus Interchange finally opened on its new site in 2024.
Transport for Wales, which operates the bus interchange, was keen to make the new facility accessible to as many different types of people as possible, and to ensure they would be able to seamlessly continue their journey into the city centre by foot or on wheels – thereby supporting the fifth of Welsh people who are disabled (21%, 670,000 people)1.
In addition to wider public consultation about the development, Cardiff Council’s Access Focus Group was asked to feed into a Diversity Impact Assessment and the interchange’s initial design process. An ‘engagement group’ of about 65 people, including representatives of disability and older people’s charities, the LGBTQ+ community and walking groups, was consulted regularly throughout the design process.
The new Cardiff Bus Interchange welcomes passengers living with dementia and other long-term illnesses, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and neurodiversity, as well as able-bodied passengers. Pedestrians are able to walk or wheel comfortably, independently and safely through the bus station – as they either arrive to visit the city centre, or interchange with connecting rail services at the adjacent station.
The bus interchange is open 22 hours a day and is staffed at all times by ‘Interchange Ambassadors’ (specially trained in disability equality) who can help people with onward travel. A central Passenger Assist meeting point is easily accessible to anyone needing help, and a Passenger Assist service is available on request for passengers needing to transfer to/from the railway station.
The 14 bus bays are static (i.e. services always stop at the same bay), to give passengers certainty about where they will find their bus. High contrast grey flooring and tactile paving, as well as clear customer information signs, help people with visual or learning disabilities, dementia or neurodiversity to navigate independently through the space. Digital displays show real-time bus arrival and departure information, as well as times for connecting train services. Pictograms of the building and its facilities are displayed at each end of the bus interchange. These are tactile so they can be deciphered by braille users. They also include QR codes so that passengers can use their smartphones (which will be set up to suit their specific audio-visual needs) to link to further information or specific services.
The main toilets are a bank of large, unisex cubicles so that disabled people or children may be accompanied by their carers. Fully accessible toilets and baby change facilities are included. For ease of access, a separate Changing Places toilet is centrally located. This is specifically designed to meet the needs of people with multiple, complex disabilities. In line with best practice guidance, it is large enough for a disabled person and up to two assistants, and is fitted with a height adjustable, adult-sized changing bench, a centrally located toilet with space both sides for assistants, a privacy screen, a height adjustable sink, a wide paper roll, and a large waste disposal bin.
Seating is spread throughout the bus interchange and includes both perch benches and ergonomically designed full seats. The latter have side tables and electric points for charging mobile phones and laptops, which can connect to free Wi-Fi. There are also three hydration stations spread throughout the building, dispensing free water.
The whole space has been designed to maximise natural light, which is helpful to those with dementia or visual disabilities and can discourage antisocial behaviour. The main pedestrian entrance leads to Central Square’s new piazza, where barriers and level changes have been minimised, so that pedestrians can easily walk or wheel into the rail station, or head into the city centre. The piazza benefits from natural surveillance because it is overlooked by the neighbouring BBC Cymru Wales building as well as a hotel, offices and student accommodation, which occupy the upper storeys of the Interchange building. As a result, pedestrians can feel safe stopping to spend time in the square, visiting one of the food and drink concessions, or waiting in the fresh air for friends or their connecting bus or train.
At the time of writing, the Cardiff Bus Interchange was so new that there hadn’t been time for usage or impact data to accumulate. Transport for Wales plans to monitor how it operates and to continue to develop the facilities to meet even more passenger needs. It also wants to replicate, and improve upon, its accessible facilities in other Welsh public transport hubs, like the new Cardiff Crossrail tram stops (funded by the Levelling Up Fund) which will open in 2028. These will link Central Station with Cardiff Bay, giving passengers even more choices for their onward travel from Cardiff Bus Interchange.
Early and ongoing engagement with as many different types of people as possible, with varying disabilities or other needs, meant that a wide variety of voices were able to ask for the facilities and support they need when travelling.
Colleagues from across the partner organisations remained open minded and willing to try to meet as many needs from different user communities as possible. They were bold and proactive when they could meet these needs and honest and transparent when they couldn’t.
www.tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/metro-central/cardiff-bus-interchange