Safety for Alice Springs school children has been improved with the construction of a new school bus interchange.

Operational from Monday 7 November, the new $2 million facility replaces the interchange on Milner Road.

The new interchange provides a safer, central location for buses to transport students to and from school and reduces risks to student safety.

Safety within the interchange grounds and safer access to buses is one of the main considerations for its design.

Located within the southern corner of Centralian Middle School grounds, access to the school bus interchange is from Memorial Drive; and replaces the old interchange on Milner Road which had reached capacity over the past few years due to growth in school enrolments and the school bus network.

The new facility has space for 16 buses, a shade structure for waiting students and will operate in a more controlled environment, primarily to reduce risks to student safety.

Around 700 school children will use the new interchange during the morning and afternoon pick up and drop off periods, with the facility being locked and inaccessible at all other times.

The increased capacity and design will ensure the new interchange operates more efficiently, providing additional capacity for future growth in the network.

The design included perimeter fencing and landscaping and has the potential to be utilised for overflow parking outside of gazetted school hours.

Media contact: Simone Phasey 8924 7028