As the summer season is in full swing in Southport the need for a proper drop off point for Coaches arriving was evident today.

Traffic was brought to a standstill as Coaches blocked Eastbank St Square after dropping off passengers. With very little room to maneuver in the traffic this is another problem that needs sorting in our "Classic Resort"

dont worry cllr Barton will sort it when he has finished painting the railings

from the top of a double decker on the coast road , loads of coach / bus spaces can be seen next to the park and ride ????? , what's good for cars must be good for bus's !!

I once suggested the relocating of B&M Bargains,then doing the following :

1) Using the existing store area as a ticket office/waiting room,with a rear terminal access.
2) The installation a roundabout,in the car park,to allow access for Buses/Coaches to turn around,with a few bus shelters.
3) Coaches and Buses from Preston,Ormskirk could then enter from the Promenade end of Kingsway,
4) Buses to and from Liverpool arrive and exit via the Kingsway and Promenade.
5) And Buses/Coaches returning to Ormskirk,Wigan,Preston and beyond leave via Lord Street.

This would ease a lot of congestion with coaches having to wait at present on the Bus Stops on Lord St,as they have to do now.But with a designated Terminal it would also be easier for any visitors to know where to go to get their Bus or Coaches,for journeys to and from Southport.

A viable relocation store for B&M Bargains could be the BHS on Chapel Street ?

Originally Posted by jonnybgood

I once suggested the relocating of B&M Bargains,then doing the following :

1) Using the existing store area as a ticket office/waiting room,with a rear terminal access.
2) The installation a roundabout,in the car park,to allow access for Buses/Coaches to turn around,with a few bus shelters.
3) Coaches and Buses from Preston,Ormskirk could then enter from the Promenade end of Kingsway,
4) Buses to and from Liverpool arrive and exit via the Kingsway and Promenade.
5) And Buses/Coaches returning to Ormskirk,Wigan,Preston and beyond leave via Lord Street.

This would ease a lot of congestion with coaches having to wait at present on the Bus Stops on Lord St,as they have to do now.But with a designated Terminal it would also be easier for any visitors to know where to go to get their Bus or Coaches,for journeys to and from Southport.

A viable relocation store for B&M Bargains could be the BHS on Chapel Street ?

Or the better option would have been to keep the Ribble Buildings as a bus station !!!

Originally Posted by Ruler!1

Or the better option would have been to keep the Ribble Buildings as a bus station !!!

Obviously that cannot be done now though,but thought my suggestion "COULD" as it is a bit strange,that a town the size of Southport,with the regular shoppers,and visitors it gets for the recent Flower Show,and the forthcoming Airshow,plus Firework Championships,and it has'nt had a Bus and Coach terminal for the last 18 years now ?
Something NEEDS to be done,and the sooner the better.

Originally Posted by jonnybgood

Obviously that cannot be done now though,but thought my suggestion "COULD" as it is a bit strange,that a town the size of Southport,with the regular shoppers,and visitors it gets for the recent Flower Show,and the forthcoming Airshow,plus Firework Championships,and it has'nt had a Bus and Coach terminal for the last 18 years now ?
Something NEEDS to be done,and the sooner the better.

A lot of B&Ms trade comes from people using their car park. the BHS building doesn't have any parking, so why would they move? I would also suggest they would have no use for a two story building as such. The part of their present building which is the first floor, used to be Safeway's car park, but is now part of their store rooms. Again, B&Ms stock arrives almost daily by a HGV. How did BHS get their stock into their store? There are only two ways. Side of the Cambridge Arcade, or along Chapel Street.

Use the Station Car Park. Get rid of the dozen or so staff cars parked there, move the taxi rank to where the staff cars park and use the in/out taxi rank as the drop off / pick up for coaches instead.

This sounds like a job for councillor rent-a-suit.
Just imagine all the photo opportunities !

The town hall has a lot of "free space"