news
DfT consulTs on
sTaTion improvemenTs
by alan salter The report says: ‘Stations are
ester
A two-month consultation on how deeply entwined with their local
K
atie Silv
to deal with English and Welsh community and effectively act
failing stations will run until the as the gateway to both town and
end of January. railway. They leave passengers
The DfT is asking 10 questions with their lasting impressions of
of a range of industry and both – a dilapidated station is
community leaders on the bad business for both town and
report by Lord Adonis’s ‘station railway.’
champions’ Chris Green and In its response to the report,
Sir Peter Hall, which resulted in the DfT says: ‘The government
a £50m Challenge Fund for the has agreed with Network Rail
country’s 10 worst stations. that they will make up to £50m
After the consultation closes, available in the near future.
Lord Adonis will meet the ‘This funding, together with
station champions Chris Green
consultees to discuss the report developer and local contributions
and peter Hall want to see the which concluded: ‘There is no “do and refranchising obligations, will
creation of an additional 5,000
nothing” plan, as many stations enable an early start to be made
cycle spaces a year.
are already over 100 years old on the 10 key stations highlighted
and the nation cannot afford in the report. Others will follow
to maintain them all as historic as part of future investment and
buildings.’ refranchising decisions.
The report developed detailed The response continues: ‘The
minimum station standards investment will be subject to a
for each station category satisfactory business case and the
and recommended that they prospect of an adequate financial
should be made a mandatory return. We are challenging the
requirement in all future franchise industry and local government
specifications to help raise station to raise part of the money
satisfaction from the current 66 required for each of these stations
per cent to 80 per cent. themselves.
It also recommends that the ‘It is very important that the
current spending rate on station additional programme funding
upkeep and improvement should which we are announcing should
be stepped up by 25 per cent for be supplemented in this way
the 10 years after 2014 to around so that as many stations as
£800m a year to catch up on the possible can be tackled and we
backlog of 19th century buildings can maximise the impact on
waiting for upgrades. individual stations.’
The champions also want the While the rescue plan is under
creation of 10,000 extra car park way, however, the champions
spaces and 5,000 cycle spaces want the industry to think
a year with the car parking self- of the future and envisage ‘a
funding over the life of the assets. new generation of Super Hub
Rail stations cannot be planned stations, catering for the 60 per
in isolation, they say, and should cent growth predicted in the
be developed as transport hubs 2007 white paper Delivering a
in close co-operation with local Sustainable Railway which – once
authorities, PTEs, transport the current recession is over –
authorities and local planning will take rail demand to a level
authorities. never seen before in Britain’.
10 rail professional : JANUARY 2010
RPJan10 pp10-11 news.indd 10 10/12/09 15:15:31
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