Maidstone Bus Station will be closed for 12 weeks and services will be relocated while renovations are carried out.

Work will start on improving the station, which runs under The Mall shopping centre, on Monday March 22.

During that time bus stops will be relocated to King Street.

Plans to revamp the station have been brewing for more than a decade and in July, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) councillors approved a scheme, costing just shy of £1m.

The majority is being paid for by MBC plus £30,000 each from KCC, Arriva and Capital and Regional, the company which owns The Mall.

Changes to the station will include improvements to lighting, the replacement street furniture and floor tiling, new signage and real time passenger information.

MBC says the new look will modernise the area and "contribute to increasing the vitality and viability of Maidstone...by improving its overall image as a modern and well cared for place with excellent public transport facilities."

Cllr Paul Harper, chair of the MBC economic, regeneration and leisure committee said: “Modernising our bus station will help to make it lighter and brighter and bring it up to date, these works are very welcome.

“There will be some changes while the works are taking place so please bear with us as all bus services will be relocated on to King Street.

"Information will be sent out about what will happen and when. This will help local businesses, schools and public transport users to understand what is happening.”

Knights Brown have been appointed to undertake the works and will have a dedicated liaison officer on hand to address any issues arising from the construction.

There will be an Arriva duty manager on site from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 4.30pm Saturday to help the public.

The narrow steps between Sainsbury’s and The Mall will be closed to the public during the works although access via the escalators will remain open.

A colourful mural will be designed and created specifically for the project at the King Street entrance to the bus station which is being funded by an Arts Council England grant.

Youngsters from a local youth group will be involved and it is hoped the work will take place in June.

A public consultation around the new look bus station took place after the plans were approved. The top priority raised was improved lighting.

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