Victoria Coach Station

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox station Victoria Coach Station in the City of Westminster is the largest coach station in London, and a terminus for medium and long distance coach services in the United Kingdom. It is operated by Victoria Coach Station Limited, a subsidiary of Transport for London. Template:As of, there were 14 million passenger and 472,000 coach movements annually.<ref name="ch17">Template:Cite report</ref>

Victoria Coach Station covers Template:Convert with separate arrival and departure terminals on opposite sides of Elizabeth Street. The departure building includes food and retail outlets, left-luggage facilities and a ticket hall.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

London Buses routes 11, 44, 170, C1, C10, N11 and N44 serve the coach station. It is a short walk from London Victoria station.<ref name="off">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Victoria Coach Station was commissioned by London Coastal Coaches, a consortium of coach operators, and opened on 10 March 1932 by Minister of Transport John Pybus.<ref name="op">Template:Cite news</ref> Wallis, Gilbert and Partners' distinctive Art Deco building<ref name="75years">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was originally built with spaces for 76 coaches, and a booking hall, shops, buffet, restaurant, lounge and bar. London Coastal Coaches' headquarters and other offices occupied upper floors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During World War II coach travel was restricted and the War Office requisitioned the premises.<ref name="her">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

By the 1960s, operation of the station had passed through industry consolidation to Tilling Group and British Electric Traction, whence it was reorganised by the Transport Act 1968 to become part of National Bus Company. Subsequently it was transferred to London Transport in 1988, and Transport for London (TfL) in 2000.<ref name="her" />

Freehold owner, Grosvenor Group, announced in 2013 that it wished to redevelop the site and relocate station operations elsewhere in London,<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> though the following year English Heritage designated the building Grade II listed.<ref>Template:National Heritage List for England</ref> Nevertheless, several of TfL's leases on the station were due to expire by 2023 and proposals were made to relocate to Royal Oak, but in 2019 the move was abandoned.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Utilisation

Use of the coach station has increased from 2008 to 2018.<ref name="ch18">Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="ch16">Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="ch14">Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="ch12">Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="ch10">Template:Cite report</ref>

	Passe­ngers - million	Coaches - thousand
2021 / 2022	11	118
2020 / 2021	2	40
2019 / 2020	13.2	440
2018 / 2019	12.5	450
2017 / 2018	14	472
2016 / 2017	14.5	476
2015 / 2016	14.5	466
2014 / 2015	14	460
2013 / 2014	14	480
2012 / 2013	11	438
2011 / 2012	10.5	413
2010 / 2011	10.3	399
2009 / 2010	11.8	389
2008 / 2009	9.5	394

Data from 2008/2009 until 2019/2020 is for departing passengers only and both departing and arriving coaches.

Data from 2020/21 onwards is 'passenger movements through the site' and 'Domestic and International Accessible Departures'. TfL does not state a reason for the reporting being different.

Operators

Template:As of, service operators include:-<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Operator	Image	Routes operated
Template:Flagicon BlaBlaBus	File:BlablaBus Saint-Denis.jpg	Lille and Paris Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam
Template:Flagicon Flixbus	File:FlixBus Setra S 431 DT - Berlin Alexanderplatz.jpg
	File:Exeter Bampfylde Street - Berrys BR21OCZ.JPG	Various International & Domestic routes
Template:Flagicon Megabus	File:Exeter Bus Station - Stagecoach 54276 (YY65VXT) and 54277 (YX66WNH).JPG	Various Domestic routes
Template:Flagicon National Express	File:BV66WPK National Express Scania K410 EB6 with Caetano Invictus Boa Vista bodywork (37932977392).jpg	Various Domestic routes
Template:Flagicon Sindbad Coaches		Various destinations in Poland

Financial

Profits for TfL subsidiary Victoria Coach Station Ltd have increased over recent years.<ref name="ch18" /><ref name="ch16" /><ref name="ch14" /><ref name="ch12" />

	Revenue - million	Profit - thousand
2017 / 2018	£9.9	£1,300
2016 / 2017	£10.0	£1,200
2015 / 2016	£9.5	£494
2014 / 2015	£9.2	£123
2013 /2014	£8.9	£654
2012 / 2013	£8.6	£419
2011 / 2012	£8.4	£727

Controversy

In 2019, Transport for London was served a Fire Enforcement Notice after a "catalogue of major fire risks" were found by London Fire Brigade inspectors at Victoria Coach Station.<ref name="vf" />

The deficiencies included holes in walls, which could cause a fire to spread; inadequate fire sprinkler systems that had been broken and out of use for more than two years, and obstructed exit routes used for storage. Fire experts described the situation as a "walking disaster area" and "by far the worst I've seen in a long time". Transport for London posted fire watchers.<ref name="vf">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Better ref needed