Transport Minister visits Stratford Parkway train station

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker MP, visited the new Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway train station this morning to see for himself the benefits that rail investment are bringing to Warwickshire.

The Minister was met by Warwickshire County Council's Leader, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Transport & Planning, Councillor Peter Butlin, and John Harvey, Stratford Parkway Programme Manager at Warwickshire County Council, who gave him a tour of the site and spoke to him about the project to construct the new £6.9 million station.

The project was co-funded by the Department of Transport, following a successful bid by Warwickshire County Council to the Department's Local Sustainable Transport Fund for a £4.995m contribution. The County Council provided an additional £1.86m funding for the project.

The Minister first visited the site of the new station in Bishopton back in November 2011, and was enthusiastic about the “big difference" that the station would make to the area.

Speaking about today's visit to see the completed station, he said: “This is a great new station for people around Stratford who needed a more convenient way to make trips into Birmingham and beyond and I am glad to have been able to support it and other new stations around the country.

“This is another tangible example of the Coalition Government's commitment to transforming the railways, part of the biggest programme of rail investment since the 19th Century. After years of decline and stagnation, the railways are on their way up again."

The project was managed by Warwickshire County Council and delivered by contractors Buckingham Group, who were awarded the detailed design and build contract for the new station in August 2012 after submitting the most competitive proposal.

Building work started in October 2012 and the award of the contract to Buckingham Group has meant that the station has opened seven months ahead of schedule and on budget.

Portfolio Holder for Transport & Planning, Councillor Peter Butlin said: “I was delighted to welcome the Minister to Stratford Parkway today so he could see for himself the end result of work that has taken place to construct this great new station since his last visit to the site in November 2011.

“We're extremely pleased that the Department of Transport invested in this project, which we have delivered ahead of time and on budget. The new station will bring numerous benefits to Stratford town, attracting visitors and taking pressure off some already busy roads. It also links extremely well with the existing Park & Ride facility."

The first London Midland passenger trains called at the new Parkway station on Sunday 19 May and the opening of the station has coincided with the introduction of enhanced rail services for passengers in the town.

More frequent services running later into the night are now on the timetable and Saturday service frequency has increased from every hour to half-hourly. Warwickshire County Council has teamed up with Centro to fund the introduction of the new timetable. The new services are operated by London Midland under a three-year agreement with Warwickshire County Council and Centro.

London Midland's Managing Director, Patrick Verwer, said: “The opening of Stratford Parkway station is great news for passengers and brings with it significant service improvements, both now and in the future. With later and more frequent trains running between Stratford and Birmingham, passengers can now enjoy extra flexibility, whether they are enjoying a night out, a spot of shopping, or taking in a play at the world-famous RSC.

“From December 2013, there will also be a new, even later Saturday night service and increased off-peak frequency.  This will offer yet more options for passengers, and I have no doubt that both the station and new services will prove hugely popular with passengers."

As part of the project, Centro, the transport authority for the West Midlands, has agreed to help fund extra train services running later into the night between Stratford and Birmingham, an important route for thousands of Warwickshire people working in the conurbation and for leisure travellers.

Chairman Cllr John McNicholas said: “This new station and the extra train services that are now running is fantastic news for commuters.

“It will help meet rising demand for train travel and also tackle the road congestion which costs the West Midlands economy more than £2.3 billion a year."

114,000 new rail trips are forecast to both the new Stratford Parkway station and the existing town station by 2024/2025.

Background to the Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway project:

In April 2011, Warwickshire County Council submitted a bid to the Department for Transport 'Local Sustainable Transport Fund' (LSTF). The bid proposed a package of measures designed to significantly increase the number of rail passengers on the Stratford to Birmingham railway that would be delivered under the banner of the 'Stratford- upon-Avon Local Sustainable Transport Project'.

The bid sought a £4.995m funding contribution towards the delivery of the following measures:

• Construction of Stratford Parkway Station;
• A package of weekday off-peak, evening and Saturday train service enhancements between Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham (calling at both the existing Town and new Parkway Stations);
• Extended Park & Ride opening hours, additional bus services and enhanced security provision;
• A package of 'Smarter Choices' measures (methods to encourage sustainable travel to and from the Parkway Station); and
• Station Travel Plan infrastructure investment (for example new dropped kerbs, directional signs and bus stops).

On 5 July 2011, the Department for Transport announced that the County Council's bid had been successful. Warwickshire County Council has provided additional funding to the project to the tune of £1.86m.

In November 2011, the Transport Minister Norman Baker MP was shown around Stratford town station and the site for the new Stratford Parkway station at Bishopton by Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport.

At the time of this visit, the Transport Minister said: “This £4.9m funding will make a big difference to the area – creating growth and cutting carbon in a way that exactly meets the twin objectives of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

“The new railway station and park and ride service will be crucial in encouraging travel by rail, thus easing congestion on the road network as well. The secure cycle parking will also encourage more people to travel by bike and rail – one of the greenest and healthiest ways to travel."

In August 2012, Warwickshire County Council announced that Buckingham Group Contracting had been awarded the detailed design and build contract for the new Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Station.

Buckingham Group was appointed after submitting the most competitive proposal for the contract and demonstrating a high level of experience in the construction of new rail infrastructure. The award of this contract meant that the station would open seven months ahead of schedule.

The County Council was assisted in the appointment of Buckingham Group by its experienced rail delivery team – comprising SLC Rail, Right Results Project Management and Central Programme Management – and through the support of Network Rail.

In October 2012, building work began on the new Parkway train station. Warwickshire County Council's then Chairman, Cllr Michael Doody, officially started the construction phase when he put the first spade in the ground at the Bishopton site. The first stages of the station construction included building fences and establishing utility connections, followed by work on the platforms.

In February 2013, rain and snow were doing their best to try and hamper construction, but progress was maintained despite the elements.

In March 2013, the country's most senior civil engineer paid a visit to Stratford Parkway to see at first hand the progress of the station construction project. Barry Clarke, the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, was given a tour of the site. After the visit, Mr Clarke said he learned how local authorities can take a leading role in developing rail infrastructure and the need to work closely with Network Rail and rail operating companies.

Overnight on 16 and 17 March 2013, the new railway station took a giant step forward with the erection of the footbridge - which involved 170 tonnes of steel and took over 4,000 man hours to construct - over the railway line linking the two platforms.

Videos documenting the construction of Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway are available to view on the Stratford TV website: www.stratford.tv.

The first London Midland passenger trains called at the new Parkway station on Sunday 19 May.

The opening of the station has coincided with the introduction of enhanced rail services for passengers in the town. More frequent services running later into the night are now on the timetable and Saturday service frequency has increased from every hour to half-hourly.

Warwickshire County Council teamed up with Centro to fund the introduction of the new timetable. The new services are operated by London Midland under a three-year agreement with Warwickshire County Council and Centro.

114,000 new rail trips are forecast to both the new Stratford Parkway station and the existing town station by 2024/2025.