West Yorkshire's first Weaver Network branded bus station taking shape

West Yorkshire's first Weaver Network branded bus station taking shape

The first bus station in West Yorkshire set to be branded under the new Weaver Network is beginning to take shape in Heckmondwike. 

The £10.5million facility is being delivered by Kirklees Council in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and will include more stops, extra indoor seating, cycle parking, solar panels, a green roof, a Changing Places room and communal outdoor spaces. 

Work on the new bus station began last year and is due to be completed and open to passengers in spring 2026. 

The Weaver Network, unveiled earlier this year, will bring a single unified identity across all modes for West Yorkshire passengers, making sustainable travel easier to use however they choose to get around the region.  

The public will start to see the Weaver Network on transport infrastructure as the Combined Authority repairs, replaces, upgrades and invests in the travel network. This is to streamline costs in preparation for the first franchised buses in 2027. Passengers will be kept up to date to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin and Kirklees councillors Moses Crook and Eric Firth were recently given a tour of the construction site and were joined by pupils from Holy Spirit Catholic Primary Academy, all finalists of a drawing competition run by contractor RG Carter. 

The schoolchildren were amongst those to sign a small section of concrete wall due to be covered up during construction, leaving a small but lasting legacy at the new bus station. 

And the winner of the competition, on the theme of 'What community means to me', was six-year-old Angel, who said she 'couldn't wait' to see her design up on hoarding in the town centre.

Meanwhile new visualisations of how the new and improved bus station might look like with the Weaver Network branding, subject to all the necessary planning permissions being secured, have been released to coincide with the visit. 

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: 

"It was a pleasure to be shown around the site and see the progress being made on this fantastic new bus station for Heckmondwike. 

“Our vision for an integrated Weaver Network, offering reliable and seamless travel whether people are travelling by bus, tram or train, includes facilities that are welcoming and accessible for all. 

“By encouraging more people to use public transport we’re helping to create a greener, better-connected West Yorkshire.” 

Councillor Moses Crook, Kirklees Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Transport, said: 

“This first new Weaver Network branded bus station gives confidence that bus franchising will soon make travelling from A to B by public transport a much more attractive, reliable and accessible option.  

“It’s so much more than transport, it’s prominence within the town centre and enhancement of the public spaces and accessible facilities, will provide a place people can enjoy and relax. 

"It’s paving the way for the wider regeneration plans as we invest in Heckmondwike and unlock more social and economic benefits for the community.”

Project manager David Spencer, from RG Carter, said:

"We are proud to be working in partnership with Kirklees Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver their vision for improved local transport.

"The site tour was a great opportunity to show the Mayor of West Yorkshire and local school pupils the progress on the new Heckmondwike Bus Hub, and to involve them in leaving their own mark on the development.

"This project will transform a vital facility, supporting both the local community and the town’s economy for years to come.”

Claire Bass, headteacher at Holy Spirit Catholic Primary Academy, said: 

"The children had a wonderful time on their recent visit to the Heckmondwike bus station and it was a great opportunity to see the project first hand. 

"We especially liked the fact they have incorporated a living roof and solar panels into the plans as these are all great for the environment; taking care of God's world is very important to all of us at Holy Spirit Catholic Primary Academy. 

"The children enjoyed meeting the Mayor and writing on the wall in the new station, knowing that they have left their mark there forever."