Ipswich’s Old Cattle Market bus station is set to reopen today after construction problems delayed the revamp by two months.

Graham Newman, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transport, insisted the refurbished bus station will now be at the heart of the town’s “modern public transport services”.

But he admitted the project, understood to have cost £700,000, was hit by “unforeseeable delays” when engineers discovered utilities were not buried as deep as originally thought.

The work, which started in May, was expected to be finished by August before the setback came to light.

But the bus station is due to welcome its first passengers for five months today as the council unveils a new forecourt, carriageway, paving, bus shelters and a disabled toilet.

Although improved lighting, better drainage facilities and taxi bays will also be available, the Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) boards and a new ticket office will not be operational straight away.

Mr Newman said: “Our county town deserves modern public transport services and the refurbished Old Cattle Market bus station will be at the centre of that.

“The programme to refurbish the bus station was hit by unforeseeable delays earlier in the summer, but I am pleased to say that the station is now open for business.

“The new station is a much more welcoming environment with improved access and, very soon, Real Time Passenger Information boards.”

Friars Street will also today revert to two-way traffic, but Princes Street to the north of Museum Street will close for a week to allow resurfacing work to be carried out.

Both of Ipswich’s town centre bus stations have been closed for refurbishment as part of the Travel Ipswich scheme, a £21m project designed to improve travel provisions across the town by the summer of next year.

The borough council added the Tower Ramparts Bus Station, which closed at the start of September, was on course to reopen ahead of its original completion target date of November 15.

It is currently about two weeks ahead of schedule and engineers are now hoping it will reopen at the start of next month.