Clear progress: St Helens Transport Interchange takes another step towards completion with installation of glazed exterior

• The St Helens Transport Interchange is now watertight, allowing internal fit-out works to begin.
• The high-performance glass façade provides enhanced soundproofing, UV protection, and five times the strength of standard glass for waiting passengers.
• Backed by £32m from the Combined Authority, the facility drives a wider town centre regeneration.

The new transport interchange in St Helens town centre has taken another major step forward with the installation of its glazed exterior walls.

The building’s newly installed glass façade has been made with bespoke aluminium frames and special tempered glass by Manchester-based business Crystal Architectural Aluminium.

The tempered glass used for the interchange is five times stronger than standard glass, and has double the soundproofing, which will reduce the background noise people will experience when waiting inside the interchange. It also gives better UV (ultra-violet) protection from the sun’s rays than a standard pane of glass.

Now the Transport Interchange is watertight, VINCI Building, the main contractor for the project, and its subcontractors can begin installing the necessary infrastructure and the internal features which will support bus passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. These will include a new Travel Centre, seating areas, real-time travel information digital signage, accessible toilets (including a Changing Places facility), and temperature-control systems.

Prior to the Interchange’s curtain walling being added, VINCI Building received an inspection by the Considerate Contractors Scheme (CCS) and was given a perfect rating of 45 out of 45. The scheme aims to raise standards in the construction industry, especially in the areas of respecting and caring for the local community contractors are working in, their workforce, and the environment.

The area surrounding the new Transport Interchange will also be enhanced to make it easier and more pleasant to travel from the new Interchange to St Helens Central Rail Station, and key landmarks such as the Gamble Building, Theatre Royal, and the forthcoming Hampton by Hilton hotel. The town centre will also get a new civic square with upgraded lighting and high-quality landscaping to create a more vibrant and people-friendly public space.

The £35 million project is being delivered through £32 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), alongside £3.25 million from the Government’s Towns Fund.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said: “We’re investing £32 million to give St Helens the modern transport hub that people rightly expect, and reaching another major milestone in the build is a real sign of the progress we’re making.

“This is exactly what I mean when I say devolution matters. It means we can make the decisions that are right for our communities, help people with the cost of living crisis and get on with delivering the projects people have been waiting far too long to see. Alongside bringing our buses back under public control, this new interchange will make it easier for people to get where they need to be.

“But this is about more than transport. Better connections help bring more people into the town centre, support local businesses and give St Helens the foundations it needs to keep growing. That’s good news for local people and another step towards building the London-style, integrated transport network our city region deserves.”

Councillor Jack Benyon, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Property and Planning at St Helens Borough Council, said: at St Helens Borough Council, said: “The new St Helens Transport Interchange represents a major investment directly into St Helens by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority that, alongside national funding, is delivering real transformative change in our town centre.

“The Interchange, along with bus franchising, will see St Helens at the forefront of a moderninsed, future-proofed public transport system for the City Region. Watching the new facility take shape with the installation of the glazed exterior is an exciting moment, and I look forward to seeing this major new development delivered on time and being enjoyed by residents and visitors to our Borough.”

Matt Whiteley, Senior Development Manager for ECF, commented: “The installation of the new curtain walling allows us to see the modern aesthetic of the new interchange taking shape. Our overarching goal with this 20-year regeneration partnership is to create high-quality spaces that encourage a genuine shift toward public transport. By providing a bright and comfortable space that connects seamlessly with St Helens Central Rail Station, we are creating the vital infrastructure needed to link residents to jobs, leisure, and economic opportunities across the wider region.”

Martin Horton, Senior Project Manager at VINCI Building, said: “The installation of this high-performance glass façade is another key step forward. Now that the structure is watertight, our teams can safely pivot to the internal fit-out, including the climate-control systems, digital signage, and the new Travel Centre. To hit this phase of construction while maintaining a perfect 45 out of 45 score from the Considerate Constructors Scheme is a fantastic achievement that shows that we and our subcontractors are executing this project to the highest possible standard.”

The interchange is part of a wider, once-in-a-lifetime regeneration strategy for the town centre. Phase One includes a new Market Hall, a 120-bedroom Hampton by Hilton hotel, 56 apartments, eight townhouses and more than 4,000 square feet of modern retail space. All of this will sit within expansive, biodiversity-rich green spaces designed to support pollinators, encourage native planting, and improve climate resilience.

The wider transformation is underpinned by a £69.2 million funding package from St Helens Borough Council, with additional support from the UK Government and ECF. This includes two Town Deal grants totalling £10.49 million, as well as £812,000 from the One Public Estate Brownfield Land Release Fund to enable sustainable residential development.

This work forms part of a 20-year regeneration partnership between the council and ECF, with the first phase focused on breathing new life into the town centres of St Helens and Earlestown – restoring their roles as vibrant, thriving places at the heart of local life.