Mayflower Coach Station On The Way!

Plymouth’s bridge to nowhere is to be dismantled as part of the demolition of Mayflower West car park.

The footbridge, which is a covered walkway between the Armada Centre and the car park, will be taken down over the weekend of Friday 5 and Sunday 8 September.

The bridge spans across Mayflower Street and was once a pedestrian walkway from Sainsbury’s to the car park. It has been closed for a number of years.

Now the structure is being carefully dismantled over the weekend as part of the larger demolition programme for the car park, which was shut last year as it was no longer structurally sound.

The project will involve cutting the link bridge into two sections and lowering it onto the road by a 350-tonne crane. Because of its size, some signs and parking meters will be temporarily moved to make way for the crane.

The bridge itself weighs 60 tonnes and is 42 metres long. Mayflower Street will be closed at the car park access road in order for the bridge to be removed.

The work will be carried out by demolition contractors DSM who are currently working on the car park demolition, which is progressing well.

Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet member for Assets and city centre champion said; “This is a milestone in this demolition project which has been steadily progressing.

“We are keeping businesses overlooking the car park up-to-date with the project and want to hear from them to make sure their needs are taken into account for the design of coach station.

“Our proposals for a new coach station have the potential to transform this part of the city centre, bringing more passengers, shoppers and visitors into this part of the city. It is a key part of our Plan for the City Centre and an ideal time to make this rather tired location more attractive.”

In the next few weeks the Council will be consulting more widely on plans for the new coach station ahead of the project being submitted for planning permission in October.