Year
2017Duration
20 monthsCost
£9.2mLocation
United KingdomProject achievements
Economy boosted
13m people pass through every year.
Solved the problem
Improve the transport visitors access major attractions.
Used engineering skill
Combination of contemporary design and safety demands.
Build a new transport hub to improve access to historic attractions
The Portsmouth hard interchange is a multi-modal transport redevelopment, part of the £1.8bn investment to improve the infrastructure and transport links into the city of Portsmouth. It forms a new high quality gateway and transport hub in one of the busiest parts of the city of Portsmouth.
As well as the regeneration of an historic area it provides improved transport safety for the over 13 million people a year who visit and completes the southern end of the new Portsmouth park and ride scheme.
Did you know …
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This transport gateway project was constructed in the busiest part of Portsmouth with an annual footfall of 13 million people
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The project makes sustainable use of existing foundations – over 400 concrete piles
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In February 2017 work was temporarily halted when a WW2 bomb was found in Portsmouth Harbour
Project achievements and benefits
Gunwharf Quays and the Historic Dockyard collectively attract 6.5 million visitors each year and a significant number arrive by public transport. The new hub provides a modern gateway to those attractions and for many is an impressive first point of contact to the city.
One of the main safety challenges of the previous transport interchange was the lack of segregation between buses and passengers. The new facility incorporates a 10 bus bay drive in and reverse out (DIRO) forecourt which fully segregates pedestrians.
The bus bay doors open via induction loop under each bay and passengers can only enter when a vehicle has arrived. Hence an increased bus capacity has been achieved without compromising safety.
Project elements
The project incorporates the re-use of an existing deck through the use of lightweight fill materials.
The roof incorporates a lightweight plastic inflatable roofing system. A constant vacuum provides air to the ‘pillows’, protecting passengers from the weather.
The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) meant over 100 individual repairs could be monitored throughout every stage with relevant photos and information attached. Work was approved from remote locations making it more efficient to complete.
The drainage system includes a system that filters out any oil or contaminants before discharge.
The ceiling in the main terminal building comprises stretched fabric which aims to magnify the curved shape of the two internal pod units. Fabric is clipped from the centre of the pod and hides the services above. LED strip lighting illuminates the parabolic shape.
Every effort was made to limit the impact on the surrounding waterside environment during construction. The previous 1970s concrete deck and building were re-used via local waste management.
The main terminal has glass cladding, minimising heating requirements through the benefit of solar gain.
Care for marine environment included Marine Management Organisation licensing consent.
People who made it happen
- Client: Portsmouth City Council
- Osborne
- AHR London
- RoC Consulting
- Lachmanns
