Wednesbury and West Bromwich Bus Stations

As part of its ongoing strategy for improving the local transport network and making it greener, TfWM recognised that the fluorescent lighting systems in these bus stations were ageing and inefficient, meaning higher energy consumption and costs. Furthermore, some lights suffered from discoloured diffusers and dropping light levels. High-quality lighting in bus stations is essential to provide safety, security, and comfort for passengers, staff, and the public, deterring antisocial behaviour and helping to keep the transport network moving efficiently.

For these reasons, lighting at these stations required a comprehensive update. To modernise the lighting system, TfWM engaged Thorlux Lighting to supply a complete turnkey solution, managing the project in-house and covering all design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning aspects.

Thorlux assigned a dedicated project manager to the job, who oversaw every aspect of the process. They consulted with station managers to coordinate the work plan with bus timetables and schedule work during off-peak hours.

The Thorlux installation team worked during early mornings and late evenings to reduce the impact on daily operations. This schedule meant the bus stations could remain fully functional throughout the project, minimising disruption to passengers and staff. The team used barriers to create a secure, separate workspace. As a result, Thorlux delivered high-quality results safely in a busy, public environment.

The project involved extensive retrofitting. The award-winning Thorlux Lighting Design department brought several integral features of the bus shelters up to modern lighting standards. The existing continuous trough fittings, housing 58 w T8 fluorescent lamps, were converted to modern LEDs whilst keeping the existing runs in place. This approach minimised the waste generated in the upgrade and was far more cost-effective. Thorlux supplied retrofit LED gear tray assemblies to replace old light sources and new polycarbonate opal front panels to replace the original, discoloured reeded covers, with a suitable provision of emergency-equipped luminaires.

Notable to both stations are the illuminated letter signs that indicate which stands passengers are waiting in. These circular signs originally housed a 28 w fluorescent lamp. The new retrofit gear trays repurpose the SmartScan Radar circuit board from the Thorlux Cobalt external luminaire. Using high-frequency 24 GHz radar ensures effective presence detection without needing an external sensor or cut-out on the cover, which, in this case, has a full laminated print displaying the stand’s letter. Presence detection is used to control the brightness of the signs, dimming to save energy when the area is vacant.

In addition to creating retrofit solutions, Thorlux supplied standard products to relight offices and outdoor spaces at both sites, along with emergency lighting and exit signs. These include column-mounted Starbeam floodlights, SkyPro recessed luminaires, and Firefly emergency luminaires.

The wireless Thorlux SmartScan lighting management system controls all the new and retrofit luminaires, providing comprehensive lighting oversight of both sites via the secure online platform. This web-based control panel enables site managers to monitor performance, schedule emergency tests and observe the use of the stands via occupancy profiling. The SmartScan sensor-equipped luminaires use a combination of ambient light level monitoring and presence detection to ensure they only activate when needed, helping reduce their usage and energy consumption.

With commissioning completed by Thorlux engineers and key TfWM staff trained to use the SmartScan system, passengers at both sites will now benefit from modern lighting to illuminate their journeys.