ACCRINGTON’s new multi-million pound bus station is now ready for its grand opening next week.

The £6.7million facility off King Street will be transporting its first passengers on Sunday, July 10, after several delays.

The new station will be able to cope with 11 buses departing at any time and has three main entrances, which lead onto King Street, Blackburn Road and Union Street.

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Inside, there are touch-screen information boards and ticket machines for customers to use, as well as overhead screens with bus and train times on show.

There is also space for retail outlets to build a shop or cafe within the building.

Funded by Lancashire County Council, the facility was due to be open in May, but was forced to delay by a month due to bad weather.

The station had come into the spotlight after several bus companies threatened to boycott it after a £1.50 departure charge was proposed, but later scrapped.

Alan Pilkington, owner of Accrington-based Pilkington Bus, said the bus station had come on ‘leaps and bounds’.

He said: “We are all looking forward to the station opening now and getting the public using it.

“Obviously this is a big change to the area so it will take a while for everyone to get used to the new system.

“But it will be a really big benefit to the area as if it does really well we can get another bus going through, which means more people coming into Accrington and more money being circulated.

“It can work for everyone, traders, bus companies and the public have regular buses.

“It’s a nice looking building, it’s come on leaps and bounds.”

Mr Pilkington had previously told the Lancashire Telegraph the bus station could have become a “White Elephant” and would not be used by bus companies if the charges were established.

Chris Smith, bus station and interchange manager from Lancashire County Council, said: “It’s such an improvement on the old bus station, which was nothing more than a couple of bus shelters put together.

“It’s warm, it’s dry and there’s lots of information here about all the bus services which is crucial for planning a day out.

“It’s in a great place, it’s a small walk from the Arndale and we have built a linking building from Union Street for easier access.”