A NEW gateway now welcomes visitors to Altrincham after the opening of the town’s new £19m transport interchange.

The upgraded facility opened its doors on Sunday, December 7, providing a fully integrated and accessible transport hub with better facilities and improved safety and security for bus passengers.

The redevelopment was carried out by contractors Laing O’Rourke on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and has provided a brand new ticket office and modern concourse, as well as improved links between bus, train and tram services and enhanced CCTV and passenger information systems.

Chair of the TfGM committee, councillor Andrew Fender, said: “This is a hugely significant landmark in the 133-year history of this site, which was first opened in April 1881 and has long been a focal point of innovation for transport.

“Customers can now experience the improved facilities for themselves and enjoy the benefits of a fully integrated, fully accessible and eco-friendly transport hub that is sympathetic to the heritage of the original facility.”

Cllr Sean Anstee, leader of Trafford Council, added: “The opening of the new Altrincham interchange is a great historical occasion and will be an important legacy for the people of Trafford. Trafford Council is very proud to be a key partner in this fantastic new development.”

All bus service will now use the interchange instead of the temporary bus stops used during construction of the concourse.

The interchange is also now more environmentally friendly thanks to 53 solar panels that have been fitted to the roof of the concourse.

Each of the panels is made up of solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity and will generate over 9500 kWh of electricity and save 5.5 tonnes of CO2 each year, the greenhouse gas equivalent of two tonnes of waste sent to landfill.

Altrincham and Bowdon Station was first opened at the current interchange site on April 3 1881 to replace the separate Altrincham (opposite Stamford Street) and Bowdon (east of Railway Street) stations that served the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway.

This line became the first in the UK to carry passengers on the three-car multiple-unit 1500V dc electric trains on 11 May 1931.

More than sixty years later, the majority of the rail line was converted to light rail before the opening of the first Metrolink line by the Queen on June 15 1992.

On May 13 2012, the old footbridge, which connected the interchange platforms with the Stamford Retail Quarter, was demolished having been closed since 1988.

On 26 October this year, the 134-year-old bridge that had previously connected the four interchange platforms was removed overnight and replaced with a new 45 tonne steel bridge.