WORK on a £1.9 million facelift to improve facilities and passenger information at Cradley Heath’s bus and rail interchange will start next week.

The new interchange will feature six bus stands, four within the main building and two on a newly-constructed island stand, all with automatic doors.

Inside the new main building there will be a new waiting area for bus and rail passengers who can use facilities including new toilets with parent and child provision, electronic passenger information and enhanced safety and security, with CCTV and help points.

There will also be tactile information at each stand and talking totems providing audio passenger information when a special key fob is used.

The Forge Lane interchange will close on Sunday (September 28) for the revamp to begin, which is expected to be completed in the new year.

In the meantime, temporary bus stops will be in operation nearby while the adjoining railway station will operate as normal.

The work is being paid for through the Better Bus Area Fund, a £10 million pot to improve public transport in Brierley Hill, Merry Hill and Cradley Heath.

The funding is made up of contributions from the Department for Transport, bus operators, Sandwell Council and Dudley Council and Centro, the public transport co-ordinator for the West Midlands.

Centro chairman Cllr John McNicholas said that with 330 bus departures a day the current station no longer met the needs of a modern interchange.

He said: “This is an exciting development for public transport in Cradley Heath.

“Once completed, the new interchange will offer the world class public transport facility our passengers deserve and have come to expect.”

Cradley Heath railway station and Park and Ride will remain open and passengers will still be able to use the ticket office during opening hours.

A new night gate will be opened to the side of the ticket office along with a ramped access to the platform.

Welcoming the improvements, Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris said: “This is a fantastic example of what can happen when government and local councils put political differences to one side and work with bus companies and transport authorities to make things better for the local community.”