It may have taken a little longer than originally anticipated, but Maidstone Bus Station is finally to re-open with pedestrian access to the public tomorrow, though timetabled bus services will not return till later this month.

The bus station alongside The Mall shopping centre has been closed for refurbishment since March 22, with passengers obliged to catch their transport from relocated stops in King Street in the meantime.

The work cost a little less than than £1.5m with Maidstone council footing most of the bill, but with a contribution of £30,000 each from KCC, from Arriva and from Capital and Regional, the company which owns The Mall and actually owns the bus station too.

The changes include better lighting, with bulbs that can change colour according to the light levels. There is also new floor tiling, new seating benches and waste bins, with wooden panelled ceilings in parts.

The architect, Felix Lewis, said that his intention had been to open up the dreary enclosed interior of the station as it was previously with more light and more air.

The glass panels that used to separate the public walkways from the bus lanes have gone, to be replaced by low level metal fencing. The walls have been decorated with colourful scenes of Maidstone and at the King Street entrance to the bus station, a mural depicting some of Maidstone's history has been added by 40 young spray-painters under the direction of artist Graham Upton.

Wall panels have been installed along the 140m long chamber that subtly change colour from blue at the Romney Place end, through magenta to "hot orange" at the King Street end.

Mr Lewis said the intention was to move from a cool look where there was most light to a warming effect where there was least.

An opening ceremony was held today for the various contractors and partners involved in the project, with the Deputy Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Derek Mortimer cutting a ribbon to mark the occasion.

Afterwards guests enjoyed a slice of celebration cake, baked in the shape of a bus.

Council leader David Burton, told his guests: "Our mission is to make Maidstone a better place to live, and this is one small step towards that, although it has been huge project."

He said the bus station was now a "lighter, brighter and safer place"

Cllr Mortimer said: "A better bus station has been an aspiration for the council for a number of years, now its finally here today."

Other improvements include a new sprinkler system, repaired bus lane carriageway, repainted road markings and a new public announcement system.

He said it had been very much a partnership project and thanked all those who had supported the venture from KCC, Arriva, Nu-Venture, The Mall, and the contractors Knights Brown to the teenagers who had painted the mural.

Cllr Burton said the project had slipped from its initial 12-week timetable partly because of Covid, partly because of difficulties in getting delivery of some materials and partly because the council had expanded the brief after work began.
He said: "For example we've put in new CCTV which wasn't in the original plans."

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