The multi-million pound redevelopment of Newbury station continues with the opening of the latest instalment of a new multistorey car park and a second cycling hub.
Back in June 2021, Great Western Railway announced that it had submitted plans for the redevelopment of Newbury station.
The new car park built on the existing site, which has improved the routes for walking to the town centre, boasts an extra 160 car parking spaces, some of which have electric car charging points.
The completion of the second cycle hubs has increased the total of spaces available to 300 and includes a bike repair stand for those urgent repairs. For extra security, the hub is covered by CCTV, and ticks the environmentally friendly boxes as motion sensor LED lighting has been installed.
The first new cycle hub was completed back in March 2021
Further refurbishment to Newbury Station is planned, which will start this autumn with work to the station itself, followed by improvements to the bus interchange and the forecourt.
The work will see the ticket gates being brought inside the station with sales and waiting area and the gates increasing to seven on the north side and six on the south side, to double throughput.
The station building itself is moving to be nearer to the recently installed lift bridge and visitors will see improved access with better links to buses and walking to town along with the introduction of three business units to help kick start local start-up businesses.
Support from the Local Growth Fund from Thames Valley Berkshire LEP and West Berkshire Council, along with rail industry funding by Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) has made the refurbishment possible.
Great Western Railway (GWR) run services across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England. This and other investment has allowed GWR to provide more seats and more trains, and help businesses to connect to markets.
GWR Business Development Director Tom Pierpoint said: “It's exciting to have been able to reach this stage of the project meeting a long-held ambition of ours to better support our customers and the wider area in a more accessible and sustainable way.”
“Newbury station is a key gateway to the town and this work with our partners will help secure the economic prosperity of the region as we seek to build back better from the pandemic.”
Bob Mountain, vice chair of the Berkshire Local Transport Body and board director at Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “It's great to see this first stage of the major enhancements at Newbury station now complete. The redevelopment of the station will not only encourage sustainable travel by creating a high-quality transport hub but create a gateway to the growing and ambitious town of Newbury, along with the three new business units that will support local start-up businesses.”
“We're delighted to support the work with funding from the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP's Local Growth Fund, which aims to support ready-to-go projects that will contribute to Berkshire's post-COVID economic recovery by building back better.”
West Berkshire Council's executive member for Economic Development, Ross Mackinnon, said: “This is brilliant news for Newbury and the surrounding area – the new units at the station will provide much-needed additional space for local business start-ups to expand and grow in a really sustainable location.”
“In recent months we've been focussing on supporting local businesses to respond and adapt to Covid-19, including administering grants and other financial support. But we also need to look to the future, doing whatever we can to help the West Berkshire economy to recover and grow in a post-Covid world.”
“I'm confident that this investment from our partners will support the local economy to get back on track and help us deliver our long-term strategic priority – helping businesses to start, develop and thrive in West Berkshire.”
Victoria Bradley, Network Rail, sponsor, said: “This is a great investment for Newbury and the surrounding area. Passengers using the station will really benefit from the additional parking spaces, improved cycle storage and easier access to ongoing transport links. These enhancements form part of a series of upgrades to the station to provide passengers with a better travelling experience and to encourage sustainable travel. The next phase is due to start this autumn and will include upgrades to the station buildings, the approach road and forecourt, and bus interchange.”
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Months on the station is still a building site, there was nothing wrong with the old ticket office which did a very good job. The coffee shop has gone no doubt never to return but don’t worry you’ll be able to soon buy some local tat from one of the outlets. How is this an improvement?
And they call that an improvement???
Maybe Newbury Racecourse station could do with a refurbishment.