Two specialist Merseyside firms secure contracts on the new £35m transport interchange being built in St Helens – part of a wider £100m regeneration project. Tony McDonough reports
Two local firms – Webber NW and NL Williams Group – have secured contracts to work on the new £35m St Helens transport interchange.
This facility, replacing the town’s old bus station forms part of a wider £100m project to transform St Helens town centre with a new market hall, a 120-bedroom Hampton by Hilton hotel, 56 apartments, eight townhouses and 4,266 sq ft of retail space.
Both Webber NW, a steel fabrication business, and NL Williams, a specialist in protective coatings and surfaces, are based at Westside Industrial Estate in St Helens.
This regeneration scheme is being brought forward by St Helens Council and ECF, a partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse. Main contractor Vinci has awarded a contract to Webber which in turn has hired NL Williams as a sub-contractor.
Webber has already worked on the town centre transformation. It was involved in the careful removal and safe storage of The Millennium Needle – the 20-metre-high mirror polished stainless steel landmark installed in 2006.
A Webber NW spokesperson said: “Working alongside VINCI Building, with a common goal of achieving the best possible outcome for all stakeholders and end-users, we’re committed to ensuring we do everything in our power to deliver our parts of the scheme successfully.”
Founded in 1973, NL Williams provides services and products for projects across local authorities, rail infrastructure, civil engineering, healthcare trusts, and the nuclear industry.
Managing director Barry Williams added: “St Helens has been our home for over five decades. While NL Williams supports projects across the UK, there’s nothing quite like working on our own doorstep.
“We are proud to bring our decades of experience in protective coatings and surface preparation to this landmark local development.”
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The transport interchange will feature 11 bus stands (up from nine) to support the region’s bus franchising plans, an enclosed concourse with real-time travel information for both buses and trains, step-free access throughout, and automatic doors at every stand.
It will also include a travel centre, accessible toilets including a Changing Places facility, and secure covered cycle storage with improved wayfinding.
Surrounding public realm will be enhanced to improve connections between the interchange, St Helens Central Rail Station, and key landmarks including the Gamble Building, Theatre Royal, and the forthcoming Hampton by Hilton hotel.