TWO months work to create a new £160,000 bus-rail interchange at Huntingdon railway station began this week after six years of planning. The move could herald additional bus services to and from the station. Huntingdonshire District Council, which is joi

TWO months' work to create a new £160,000 bus-rail interchange at Huntingdon railway station began this week after six years of planning.

The move could herald additional bus services to and from the station.

Huntingdonshire District Council, which is jointly funding the scheme with Cambridgeshire County Council, said the current conflict between buses, taxis and cars parking or dropping off and picking up passengers, would be removed.

A new area dedicated to buses will be provided under the A14 viaduct, work will also include a dedicated taxi lane and drop-off and pick-up bays, pedestrian routes, resurfacing and new lighting.

When complete, the works will be handed over to train operator First Capital Connect.

HDC said the partners in the project would be working towards integrated ticketing.

"The scheme will complement the new contra-flow bus lane on Walden Road and the other bus priority measures planned between Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon and St Ives," the council said.

Belen McWilliam, projects director at First Capital Connect, said: "Huntingdon is a busy station and the improvements will be welcomed by the growing number of passengers on this route. First Capital Connect is dedicated to improving stations and, when this work is complete, the bus and taxi interchange will provide a safe and organised environment with specific areas for buses, taxis, cars and pedestrians."

The project was delayed not just by changes in the railway industry that saw Railtrack replaced by Network Rail in 2002 and the franchise transferred to FCC from WAGN last year, but by a major fire in the booking hall that meant there was a temporary booking office in the way of the scheme until recently.