Bolton Interchange receives new high-tech roof

A lightweight state-of-the-art roof has been fitted to the bus station concourse at Bolton Interchange helping to lower project costs.

Bolton interchange has been fitted with a lightweight Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (ETFE) roof.  According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TGfM), the material is approximately one per cent of the weight of an equivalent amount of glass so imposes significantly less dead load on the supporting structure, which reduces the amount of framework and materials necessary and lowers project costs. The material has already been tried and tested on the interchanges at Rochdale and Altrincham as well as at Victoria rail station.

Bolton Interchange ETFE roof approximately one percent of the weight of an equivalent amount of glass

Unaffected by UV light, atmospheric pollution and other forms of environmental weathering, ETFE foil is an extremely durable material. It is also highly translucent, transmitting up to 95 per cent of light, fully recyclable and requires minimal costs and energy consumption for its transportation and installation.

Transmits up to 95 percent of light

Chair of the TfGM Committee, Councillor Andrew Fender, said: “The ETFE roof is not only visually striking but also has numerous structural and financial benefits, making its completion an exciting milestone for the Bolton Interchange project.

“The steel roof beams and ‘tree’ support structure were completed earlier this year, allowing the individual ETFE pillows to be fitted and inflated.

“When complete, the bus concourse building will provide a modern, accessible and sheltered environment for passengers to obtain information and wait for their services.”

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, added: “Completing the roof is a real milestone.

“The new roof is made of the same high-tech material which is used in the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Allianz Arena in Munich.

“The new interchange will connect bus and rail services and it is a key part of our town centre programme.”

The new interchange will provide better passenger information and ticketing facilities and a safer, more secure waiting environment. A skylink bridge will connect the interchange directly with the nearby train station. In addition it will offer improved links between the town’s bus services and rail station, as well as providing a far more attractive ‘gateway’ to and from the town centre.

The development forms part of a wider TfGM £48 million regeneration scheme of the surround area.

Further information about the project can be found here.