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Ref: 198/07 21 May 2007
£1.3 Million Scheme For Chester Railway Station Square
Work begins on June 11th on a £1.3 million project to transform the road and footway network outside Chester Railway Station.
The scheme is being led by and receives the majority of funding from the County Council. Grants have been awarded from English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Railway Heritage Trust towards conservation specified materials. Network Rail is also contributing to the funding.
Lasting six months, the project is an important element of a £10 million plan to revamp the station and its forecourt and is part of the Chester Renaissance initiative.
Traditional materials will be used as much as possible to complement the station which is 150 years old. York stone will replace the existing flagstones outside the station building along with the complementary use of granite kerbs and setts.
The station square is to be remodelled with the roundabout moved to the beginning of Brook Street near the station pay and display car park.
And the stretch of road between the station and the start of Brook Street is to be resurfaced and in parts also reconstructed.
The taxi stand will switch from outside the east wing to the west wing linked to the City Rail Link bus and there will be drop off and short stay parking in front of the station.
Six new bus stops with shelters are to be created either side of City Road and in the square.
The County Council is putting £1.5 million into the whole project including work inside the station itself.
Cheshire’s Highways and Transportation Executive member County Councillor John Burke said: “Residents and visitors alike will see a big transformation outside the Railway Station which is programmed for completion before Christmas.
“The aim of this project is to improve the transport interchange opportunities as well as reintroduce the feeling of heritage and make the Station Square and its immediate surrounding area more welcoming.
“Obviously there will be some disruption with road closures at different times over the next six months while work is carried out.
“However I am sure that the end result will make any disruption worth while.”
The Chester Gateway partnership includes Arriva Trains Wales, Cheshire County Council, Chester City Council, Merseyrail, Merseytravel, Network Rail, North West Development Agency, Railway Heritage Trust, Virgin Trains and Visit Chester and Cheshire.
Note To Editors: For more information please contact David Thomas, a County Council Principal Engineer on 01244 603960 and County Councillor Burke on 01244 679657. |