With most of Halifax Town Centre, including the pedestrianisation of Market Street, I would use this as an opportunity to bring in new bus stops and renumber them similar to how they are numbered in other West Yorkshire Towns with the letter of the street then the number. If you want to see the plan visit:
calderdalenextchapter.co.uk/sites/default/files/2023-07/A629%20Phase%202%20-%20Halifax%20Town%20Centre%20-%20whole%20scheme-1.pngFirst things first George's Square Bus Stops will be renumbered G1 (23), G2 (24) and G3 (25).
I would also move services 541 and 542 to Stop G2 (24) to help ease congestion on stop 25 as that is currently the busiest bus stop with 24 being the least busiest since they are left with 3-4 buses per hour since heavy reductions in services 579 and 586, as well as the loss of 300.
Waterhouse Street Stop 17 will be reorganised into 2 bus stops with the layby stand being introduced as a 3rd bus stop. These will carry numbers W1, W2 and W3.
Stop W1 will be for Elland bound services
Stop W2 for Sowerby Bridge bound services
Stop W3 for Luddenden Foot and Upper Calder Valley bound services
With Stop 2 on Commercial Street being moved to be outside Musty's Hair Design, and Tipson Shoe Cobler shops with the stop being renumbered to W4. This can be for the Pellon Lane Corridor of services.
Crown Stop 18 can be renumbered to W5 being a drop off stop.
With the plan including Stop 20 on Commercial Street being removed, I would use this as an opportunity to re-route services 343, 543, 561, 562 and 563/563A down King Edward Street to serve the unused bus stops.
King Edward Street Stops 7 will be renumbered C3, and stop 8 to C4 (going off the Commercial Street zone area)
Stop C3: 543, 561, 563/563A
Stop C4: 343, 562,
Commercial Street stops 19 and 21 will become C1 and C2
Stop C1 (19): 546, 574, 536, 537, 577
Stop C2 (21): 501, X1
Hornton Street stop 3 is proposed for removal, however I would keep the bus stop as it allows people from the new Westgate Arcade exstention to use the bus service. I would transform this into 2 bus stops numbered H1 and H2. With also Hornton Street Stop 5 becoming H3 for services 561/3 and 543.
Stop H1: 561, 563A
Stop H2: 543
Drop off Stands 1 and 28 on Wards End can be merged into stop C5.
With Mixenden and Illingworth Services being removed from the town centre I would reintroduce them on to Albion Street 9 and Union Street 6 so passengers can still board services from outside the Market with the services also running via the bus station.
Stop 6 will become M1 (for Market) and Stop 9 to M2 and an extra M3 stop being introduced.
Stop M1: Mixenden Services
Stop M2: Illingworth Services
Stop M3: 20, 21, 502, 524, 526
With there being plans to introduce bus stops outside the Railway Station I would follow the proposal of the 3 bus stops, with there also being 2 other bus stops for the other direction. There can also be an additional waiting room in addition to the bus shelters with real time displays, an accessible toilet, M-Card Machine and Travel Info machine.
Stop RS1 (for Railway Station 1) can be introduced on Church Street with stop RS2, RS3, RS4 and RS5 being on Alfred Street.
Stop RS1: 20, 21, 502, 524, 526 and 543 towards Siddal
Stop RS2: Mixenden services
Stop RS3: Illingworth Circulars
Stop RS4: Drop off for services coming from the Shay Stadium direction (including 562 and 563/563A since Market Street will be shut)
Stop RS5: Drop off Stand for services terminating on Albion Street and Union Street (in the other direction)
Woolshops layby can be converted into 2 bus stops for the services using the railway station stops whilst being named WS1 and WS2 (Whoolshops Shopping 1 and 2)
And finally, I would introduce a drop of stand on Winding Road outside the bus station labelled BS1 (Bus Station) for services that terminate on Albion and Union Street as well as a drop of stop at Broad Street Plaza numbered BS2 for services that come from the Pellon Lane and Bull Green area as connections may be tight for passengers with the new bus station entrance having an extra traffic signal in the way. This gives passengers an opportunity to use the stop for the plaza or save time entering Halifax Bus Station so they can connect quicker with services to Leeds and Bradford.