A MAJOR transport hub in the West End is set to reopen next month, nearly a year after it closed for refurbish ment.

Partick Interchange Bus Station will be open to the public from Sunday September 2, following a £2.5million refurbishment.

Changes to the hub include an increase in the number of bus stances, improved waiting areas for passengers with CCTV, seating and real time information.

To accommodate an increase in passengers generated by the Glasgow Harbour and Clyde waterfront development and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the new design separates pedestrian from the bus manoeuvring area.

SPT Chair Councillor Dr Martin Bartos said: “Partick Interchange is an important integrated transport hub for West Glasgow serving one of Scotland’s busiest and most densely populated areas.

“SPT investment in Partick and the new facilities will significantly improve the bus passenger experience.

“Improvements include the bespoke high quality shelters which provide proper protection from the weather, real time passenger information displays, CCTV and improved LED lighting.

“Improved provision for wheelchairs, alongside high kerbs for level entry to the buses, reflects our wish that the station is accessible to the whole community.

“We are also introducing a new design of bus stance information which we hope, with operator cooperation, will roll-out across the whole of the Strathclyde area.

“This is designed to replace the often confusing or inconsistent mixture of information.

“It’s currently a work in progress involving a lot of hidden improvements including how transport data is managed but our aim is to roll out to bus stations and then across the wider network once systems are fully in place.”

Partick Interchange, which also includes a railway and Subway station, is used by approximately 2.8 million rail passengers and just under one million Subway passengers per year.

The bus station patronage has experienced significant increase in recent years with up to 42 westbound bus services per hour using Partick at peak times.

The new layout of the station incorporates a ‘Drive in, Drive Out’ style arrangement and will accommodate six stances in total.