A CITY centre A-listed transport hub could be transformed into a coffee house under new plans.
A CITY centre A-listed transport hub could be transformed into a coffee house under new plans.
Subway chiefs in Glasgow want to streamline travel information services by opening one-stop shops in St Enoch Square and Hillhead.
The move will involve Strathclyde Partnership for Transport shutting its travel centre and a Transcard office both housed in a historic Victorian building in St Enoch Square.
SPT will then lease out the building to a retailer such as a coffee chain.
The travel centre and Transcard office move to the existing ticket office in the adjacent St Enoch Subway station.
Officials say the merger will benefit commuters and could be a money spinner, especially since the neighbouring St Enoch shopping centre is getting a £100million extension.
An SPT spokeswoman said: "We anticipate strong interest from a range of big-name catering/coffee and retail companies."
Changes are also planned at Hillhead Subway station where a ticket office and a separate travel centre are to be combined.
The spokeswoman said: "One of our priorities is to enhance our customers' travelling experience.
"As part of that, it made sense to streamline our travel info points to be made available in a single location.
"Rather than three separate offices at St Enoch's and two at Hillhead, we'll have one integrated customer centre at both, offering travel information and ticketing."
Transport chiefs insist there will be no redundancies. Affected staff will be re-trained and redeployed.
The proposal will go before transport chiefs on Friday and if given the go-ahead the project should go ahead this summer, though the costs involved are not yet known.
