As we approach autumn, things have been freshened up at Atherstone Bus Station.
A partnership enabled by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and which includes The Atherstone Partnership and Atherstone Town Council has enabled changes in this key arrival point to the town.
WCC’s area of focus on creating vibrant places requires communities and partners to work together to create spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Back in August 2022, work was completed on Husly, now dedicated to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II and part of the Our Spaces series, a project which bought commissioned public art to Warwickshire towns.
The interest and focus of the Husly project brought together partners to think about what else could be done to improve the space. Taking a place-based approach meant all the partners could consider what resources were needed to improve the shelter, street markings and transport information.
Councillor Mejar Singh, Atherstone (WCC) enabled the subsequent project via his local Delegated Budget on behalf of WCC with other partners contributing to the overall project resources including time and expertise.
Speaking of the improvements, he said “Atherstone is a wonderful place to live and work but old bus station area was looking tired and did not do the town justice, so it was time to look for solutions. Being local to the site, I have seen the improvements take place daily, and spoken to people who are delighted to see the changes enabled by the Delegated Budget Scheme given to WCC members. The scheme involves members in the prioritisation of local works and offers opportunities to undertake works that would not have otherwise been possible given highways prioritisation towards safety and maintenance need or budget constraints. It can be used to address local issues raised by parishes, wards, community groups and residents which would otherwise not be prioritised: the bus station project fits the bill perfectly.”
The Atherstone mural, completed early in 2022 was colour sampled to provide paint accents for the smart black paint work on the bus shelter and noticeboards – these accents add a splash of colour and local distinctiveness. The project has also seen Perspex replaced or cleaned to improve light and visibility. Bringing these elements together along with cleansing and weeding has maximised the impact of all the projects in the area, offering a pleasant welcome to users of the space.