Worcester MP Robin Walker has welcomed the start of the next stage of works on Worcestershire Parkway station, with construction now underway at the site to the east of junction 7 of the M5.
Land has been cleared and groundworks have been completed for the station’s 500-space car park, with foundations now being laid for the construction of the main station building. The steel frame will begin to take shape over the coming months, as well as the footbridge over the railway line from Woodbury Lane.
Robin has campaigned for the new Parkway station for many years, and it will mean passengers have much easier journeys as they will be able to catch regular long-distance cross country services which currently pass through the County on the Bristol to Birmingham route without stopping. It will also give Worcester residents who live outside the centre of the city an easier and more convenient way to catch services on the Cotswold line that serves London and Hereford. The 500-space parking provision for the county’s commuters is a factor that Robin repeatedly called for given the limited parking available at Foregate Street and Shrub Hill stations.
Councillor Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure, said:
"The progress on the new Worcestershire Parkway station is great news for the county.
"The new station will help to ensure Worcestershire has much better connectivity with other parts of the country. This is one of the council's key priorities.
"With our local economy already booming, this new station will help to continue our growth and benefit local businesses and residents."
Commenting on the start of construction, Robin said:
“I’m really glad to see the progress being made on Worcestershire Parkway, and the start of construction is a huge milestone on what has been a key campaigning priority of mine for several years now. This station has been mooted and discussed for decades, and to see construction now get underway means that it is finally on track to be delivered.”
“This will make a huge difference to my constituents, as for anyone living outside the city centre the existing stations are hard to reach and nearly impossible to park at. For residents of St Peter’s, the Warndon Villages, St John’s or almost anywhere on the West side of the city, this will be a station that will be easier to reach and use.”
“At the same time, I am continuing to press Great Western Railway to ensure that their services stop at the new station without adding to journey times to Shrub Hill, and I back the County’s plans for investment in upgrading signalling infrastructure which should further speed up train services. I know that the target of a two-hour service between Worcester and London remains a key priority for local businesses and our Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – the new station will play an important part in achieving that, and I will continue to lobby for further upgrades and improvements that will help make that target a reality as soon as possible.”