Chester ’s new £13m bus interchange has now opened to all services although at times the scene looks like organised chaos because workers are still busy finishing off the facility.

At one point on Tuesday morning (June 6) a skip wagon was blocking the access road causing several buses to queue up until the truck reversed out of the way.

Construction is ongoing on and around the access road with surfacing due to take place overnight in the near future.

The new £13m Chester Bus Interchange is now open for business although work is continuing to finish the project.

Work is also continuing to complete the public realm elements of the scheme at the front of the interchange which is based on the former Gorse Stacks car park.

The old Princess Street bus exchange has now closed and has been fenced off.

However, a free shopper hopper, running every 15 minutes from 8am to 6pm, links the old and new sites to ensure access is maintained to that part of the city centre including the existing market.

The new £13m Chester Bus Interchange is now open for business although work is continuing to finish the project.

Closing the Princess Street facility will create space for a new market square as part of the proposed £300m Northgate Development retail scheme.

The new interchange, which features an environmentally-friendly sedum roof, will be open 24 hours a day and will be staffed between 6am until 11.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and 6am until 8.30pm on Sundays.

Originally it was due to open in December 2016 but was delayed partly due to repairs to a concrete slab that protects the archaeology below. In a linked project, nearby Frodsham Street has been made more pedestrian-friendly with wider pavements, seating and artwork.

The new £13m Chester Bus Interchange is now open for business although work is continuing to finish the project.

The new interchange has 13 bus stands to cope with an average of 90 buses per hour – there will be limited services operating between 10pm and 6am. Information screens provide passengers with a live feed regarding arrival times.

Cheshire West and Chester Council says passenger comfort has been a priority with free Wi-Fi, public toilets and changing facilities plus an information desk.

Deals are being negotiated with a café operator to provide hot drinks and snacks and a newsagent to serve passengers.

The new £13m Chester Bus Interchange is now open for business although work is continuing to finish the project.

National Express buses have also begun using the Interchange and tickets can still be purchased from the Visitor Information Centre at Town Hall Square.

Operators running services from the bus interchange will be: Arriva, Arrowebrook, Avon Buses, Aintree Coachline, D J Jones, National Express, Stagecoach and Townlynx.

A ‘where to catch my bus’ leaflet is available in print form and on the council’s website listing all routes including park and ride buses using the bus interchange and highlighting other city centre stops.

The former bus exchange behind Town Hall Square is now being dismantled