Issue - items at meetings - Overview & Scrutiny Proposal - Railway Station Development Update

Issue - meetings

Overview & Scrutiny Proposal - Railway Station Development Update

 

 

Meeting: 27/04/2010 - Overview Board (Item 71)

Overview & Scrutiny Proposal - Railway Station Development Update

(Invitees:  Executive Director, Portfolio Holder, Worcestershire County Council and Network Rail representatives to provide verbal feedback)

Minutes:

The Chairman thanked the Executive Director for Planning and Regeneration, Regulation and Housing Services (PRRH) and the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration for attending the meeting and gave a brief outline of the original Overview and Scrutiny proposal which had been brought before the Overview Board at its meeting on 30th March 2010.  The Board was informed that the representatives from Worcestershire County Council (WCC) and Network Rail had declined to attend the Overview Board meeting as they felt it not appropriate at this time.

 

The Executive Director for PRRH explained that this was a new project to him and he had only attended one meeting which had taken place at Network Rail headquarters.  The Executive Director for PRRH advised that he was unable to comment on why the representatives from WCC and Network Rail had chosen not to attend the Overview Board meeting.  The Executive Director for PRRH confirmed that the proposal was to move the Bromsgrove Railway Station to the former oil terminal and goods yard and this site was currently leased by Network Rail to a company called D B Shenkner and Network Rail were working with them with a view to buying out the lease. 

 

The works had currently been costed out at £12.5million.  It was possible that those costs could be reduced by the time a detailed scheme had been produced. However, the only funds currently available were £5million from WCC via the regional funding allocation and £2million from London Midland. There was a shortfall therefore of £5.5m.  Network Rail were currently investigating the possibility of getting Bromsgrove Railway Station re-prioritised, which would assist with this gap, and at the potential of phasing the associated car park, or alternative commercial funding arrangements for the operation of the car park.  The Executive Director of PRRH confirmed that WCC and Network Rail were working towards narrowing the funding gap.

 

Members then discussed with the Executive Director for PRRH the following issues:

  • Electrification of the track and the need for these to be done.
  • Lengthening of the platform, the size of the ticket office and car parking facilities.
  • The adverse affect of a phased car parking scheme, on the surrounding area.
  • The negative effect of the uncertainty of this project on the local community’s views of the Council, although the decisions made were outside of the Council’s control.
  • The long term effect on the regeneration of the Town Centre – the Executive Director PRRH confirmed that this point had been stressed at the relevant meetings.
  • The limited information available to the Council.
  • The need for planning permission by Network Rail.

 

 

The Portfolio Holder added further background information and confirmed that five weeks ago she had attended the Integrated Transport Forum at WCC at which time was told that the funding was available and that by December 2010 work would be starting, only to be informed two weeks later that £5million had been withdrawn from the funding.  It was not clear who had withdrawn this funding.

 

The Railway  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71