Basel: Car terminal for long-distance buses planned
Basel is to have its own car terminal for long-distance coaches, the government council has decided.
The three existing locations Meret-Oppenheim-Strasse (south side of SBB railroad station), Schwarzwaldallee (Badischer Bahnhof) and Gartenstrasse meet the minimum requirements for a stop for cars, according to the cantonal government. However, the infrastructure is inadequate, as there is a lack of suitable waiting rooms or sanitary facilities, and the number of parking spaces is also insufficient, according to a statement from the cantonal government.
In order to improve the situation as quickly as possible, the first step is to optimize the existing locations at SBB station and Badischer Bahnhof in the short term and add additional stops. In a second step, a separate location for a fully-fledged car terminal is to be developed in the medium term.
The responsible building and transport department wants to enter into talks with the relevant landowners and initiate an in-depth feasibility and suitability study for a car terminal at potential locations. This includes the Erdbeergraben as part of the "New parking garage" project.
The potential locations were evaluated as part of a study conducted by the canton of Basel-Stadt together with the Car specialist group of the Northwestern Switzerland section of the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association (ASTAG). The focus is on an optimal connection between long-distance buses and coaches and public transport, especially rail, but also on the most direct access possible from the highway. According to the government council, it was "very challenging" to find a location within the city that met all requirements. (ah)
