Interchange Exchanges

Recently opened in 2017, the Interchange in Bolton still feels like a brand-new building. Replacing the tatty-looking bus station on Moor Street, it brings rail, bus, cycles and taxis together, creating a convenient transport hub for the town. Apparently, it’s sustainably designed, with a light airy architecture that includes a pretty impressive sky bridge linking bus and rail services.    

But, as an early achievement of the Council’s masterplan for the town centre, does this joint venture with Transport for Greater Manchester create a hub for the community and bring people together in the town?   

A day during the height of national lockdown may not be the right moment to answer that question, but nevertheless, I spent an hour or so there, wandering around with my camera, chatting to few people and getting a feel for the place. It is certainly a comfortable environment and spacious enough to ease any worries you might have about being unable to properly social distance from others. 

Given the need to avoid non-essential travel, it was understandably quiet and even now seems very much needed by locals for work and shopping. There was a comforting atmosphere of calm with subdued but still apparent friendliness from people going about their business in a hushed, unobtrusive way. Even in these strange times, it was most certainly a pleasant place to be. 

You can see my photos from this visit in the slider below or check click on the Bolton Under Lockdown link for a more detailed account of my day