A topping-out ceremony was held at Arle Court Transport Hub yesterday (January 23) to mark the scheme reaching its highest point.

To mark the occasion, a Nordman fir tree was lifted to the top of the building on the outskirts of Cheltenham. Hornbeam trees were then planted on site by representatives from Gloucestershire County Council and Kier Construction Ltd.

Construction began on the new transport hub in May 2023. Once complete, it will offer regular bus services to Cheltenham and Gloucester and better connections to local sustainable transport, such as walking and cycling routes.

It will also provide a range of new and improved facilities on site. These include a covered outdoor waiting area; real-time information screens and an information desk; an indoor waiting area; electric vehicle charge points; and toilets, including a dedicated Changing Places toilet.

Cllr David Gray, cabinet member for environment and planning at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We've made excellent progress and it's fantastic to celebrate reaching this major milestone. The new and improved Arle Court Transport Hub is a vital scheme for the local area, not only in terms of providing better transport services but also reducing car journeys and carbon emissions."

Andy Bolas, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: "It's fantastic to see this project taking shape now and to be celebrating such a significant milestone in its construction. We're proud to be working with Gloucestershire County Council to deliver a project which will provide a boost to sustainable transport links in Cheltenham and across the county."

The agreed contract price for the Kier works is £26m, which is being funded by UK Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), administered by Homes England and by the council.

Construction on the transport hub and multi-storey car park is due to be completed in the summer, with works on the west car park to be completed by the autumn.