In the next instalment of our developer diary, we head south of the Thames to Vauxhall.
This time, we’re taking a closer look at Vauxhall Bus Station, an important transport hub in London’s public transport network and a prominent location along the planned route network for London South.
The current Vauxhall Cross Bus Station opened to bus services in late 2004. The new facility brought together bus stops that had previously been spread across several streets in one central location. It also improved connections between buses and the Underground.
One of the station’s most striking features is its unusual architecture. The towering elements of the roof structure define the appearance of Vauxhall Cross while also serving a practical purpose. The roof incorporates 168 solar panels which, according to Transport for London, can generate up to 30 per cent of the energy required to operate the bus station.
Official figures highlight just how important the station is. According to Transport for London, around 45,000 passengers used Vauxhall Cross every day in 2005. Approximately 2,000 buses passed through the station daily, with up to 168 buses per hour during the morning rush hour. At the time, this made Vauxhall Cross the second busiest bus station in London, behind Victoria Station. Today, these figures are likely to be considerably higher.
Vauxhall also plays an important role in The Bus DLC – London South. Several of the routes planned for the DLC converge here. Routes 2, 77 and 88 pass through the area, while Vauxhall serves as the starting and/or ending point for route 196.
That’s why we placed particular emphasis on recreating the bus station and its surrounding buildings in as much detail as possible. The distinctive structure, road layout and surrounding architecture have all been carefully recreated to bring this area as close as possible to its real-world counterpart and make it instantly recognisable in the game.
The latest development screenshots offer another glimpse into the recreation of London for the DLC. As always, please keep in mind that the images show the current state of development and do not represent the final version. Details may therefore still change before the release of The Bus DLC – London South. Please also note that the buses shown in the screenshots are for illustrative purposes only.
More behind-the-scenes insights into the development and other areas of London South will follow in upcoming instalments of our developer diary.
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