South Wales Evening Post - 19 March 2007
The long-awaited multi-million pound overhaul of the grotty Quadrant bus station is likely to take a back seat yet again, Swansea Council chiefs have admitted.
The disappointing news comes after the authority picked up a 2007/8 transport grant of just £8.6 million of the £15.5 million it had asked for from the Assembly.
It means the council has to make some tough decisions about where to spend the cash, with projects already underway expected to get priority.
The revamp plans, first announced in 2003, have already been put back several times.
Reena Owen, the authority's environment director, said: "The £8.6 million grant will allow us to complete a number of important schemes which are already underway.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't give us enough money to be confident to go ahead with the Quadrant bus station at the beginning of the financial year.
"Improvements to the city's park and ride facilities are going ahead, with the new sidings bridge over Fabian Way and new Landore express bus route planned, along with other smaller projects.
But city leaders will have to decide how to use the remaining cash, with both the new £5.75 million Quadrant bus station and improvements for the Morriston stage of the bendy bus scheme in the running.
Mrs Owen said talks were being held with the private sector about investing in the station redevelopment. First Bus has already said it is prepared to talk about becoming involved.
She said European funding was also being looked at, as a way of attracting the 20 per cent of private money Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies has said he wants to see injected into the scheme.
Swansea Council has already done a deal for the land needed for the revamp, and gained the necessary planning permission.
Mrs Owen said: "The redevelopment of Quadrant bus station remains a priority.
"We now need to work with the private sector and the Welsh Assembly Government to get the funding in place."
Environment cabinet member John Hague said: "We have allocated the funding to schemes which have already started. We have contractors on site and this funding will ensure we complete these schemes as planned. It is not a case of choosing schemes ahead of the bus station.
"We cannot use all of the funding for the bus station, because it would mean contractors being pulled off site, external funding for these schemes being lost and the council having to pay back grants.
"The most sensible thing is to now press ahead and finish the schemes we've started, while at the same time seeking additional funding for the new bus station."
