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Wigan bus station

Wigan
The redeveloped bus station
General information
LocationHallgate, Wigan,
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan,
England
Coordinates53°32′48″N 2°38′02″W / 53.5466°N 2.63398°W / 53.5466; -2.63398
Operated byTransport for Greater Manchester
Bus routes 22A   110   132   320   352   360   375   385   575   601   602   603   604   605   606   607   608   609   610   611   613   615   629   630   631   632   633   634   635   639   640   641   667 [1]
Bus stands19 (A-U excluding I, O)[1]
Bus operators
Connections
Construction
Cycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteTFGM Wigan bus station
History
Opened29 November 1987
Closed30 July 2017
Rebuilt28 October 2018
Location
Map

Wigan bus station serves the town of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is operated by Transport for Greater Manchester.

History

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The bus station, as it was before its 2017-18 redevelopment

Wigan's original bus station was on Market Square. It was demolished in 1985, as part of a wider redevelopment of the town centre, to make way for the Galleries Shopping Centre.[2] Construction on a new bus station, built at a cost of £2.3 million, began in April 1986[3] and was opened in November 1987.[4] The new station was built on the site of the Queen’s Hall, most of which was demolished to accommodate it.[5]

The facility has 19 stands[a] and can handle up to 72 services. At its opening, it was praised for its accessibility features, including ramps and tactile paving. The bus station was opened officially in 1988 by the Mayor of Wigan, who unveiled a commemorative plaque.[3] CCTV cameras were installed in 1996 to deter crime,[6] and the station's facilities were further improved in 2001 with a £150,000 upgrade.[4]

Location

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The bus station is located opposite the site of the former Galleries shopping centre;[b] it is well connected to the town centre with pedestrian and bicycle routes. It is around 400 yards away from Wigan North Western and Wigan Wallgate railway stations.[7]

Redevelopment

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In July 2017, the bus station closed for redevelopment with the stands relocated temporarily around the town centre.[8] The old bus stands were demolished and a new station was built on the same site, the project cost £15.7 million supported by the UK Government through the Greater Manchester Local Growth Deal programme.[9]

It reopened in October 2018, two months ahead of schedule.[10] The new station added a new covered waiting area for better passenger comfort and security, with increased retail space, new toilets and covered bicycle parking. The development also has eco-friendly initiatives, such as solar panels and the planting of wildflowers. Accessibility was also improved for people with physical disabilities, for the blind and partially sighted.[10]

Services

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The majority of services are operated by Go North West, Diamond Bus North West, Vision Bus and Stagecoach Manchester, under franchise to the Bee Network; others are Arriva Merseyside, Holmeswood Coaches and Warrington's Own Buses.[1]

Routes connect the town with Bolton, Chorley, Ormskirk, Preston, St Helens, Skelmersdale, Southport, the Trafford Centre and Warrington. Local routes run to Appley Bridge, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Golborne, Hindley, Leigh, Pemberton, Shevington and Standish.[1]

Notes

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  1. Bus stands are lettered A to U, excluding I and O.[1]
  2. From November 2022, Galleries was demolished and the site is being redeveloped.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wigan bus services". Bustimes.org. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  2. "It's Better By Bus! Town gets £2m ticket to new era of travel". Wigan Evening Post.
  3. 1 2 Shryhane, Geoffrey (21 January 1988). "Mayor's pride in Wigan's marvellous new bus station". Wigan Observer.
  4. 1 2 "Trends and Statistics 2001/2002" (PDF). GMPTE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2018.
  5. Adamson, Michelle. "Retro: Picture memories of the wonderful old Queen's Hall in Wigan". Wigan Today.
  6. Thomas, Phillip (18 July 1996). "Spy cameras to fight pickpockets". Wigan Evening Post.
  7. "Wigan bus and coach station". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  8. "Wigan Bus Station Redevelopment". Arrivabus.co.uk.
  9. "New bus station for Wigan comes together". Wigan Today. 28 May 2018.
  10. 1 2 "New Wigan Bus Station to open ahead of schedule". Transport for Greater Manchester. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
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