An ambitious scheme to build a multi-storey car park for Stafford railway station has been thrown into jeopardy, according to railway bosses.
Network Rail says the borough council has thrown up a string of obstacles to the plan to more than double the capacity of the existing car park in Newport Road. This was aimed at catering for current and expected future demand.
The company has been in discussions with the council about the project, which would increase the number of spaces from 250 to 577.
It also applied to create a temporary 184-space car park on the site of the former Jen Shoes factory in Castlefields, to cater for customers while the permanent facility is being built.
But Network Rail has now withdrawn the application due to “massive delays” on the schemes.
Spokesman Keith Lumley said: “The reason we’ve withdrawn the application for the temporary car park is because it’s taken more than six months to get this far with it.
“The borough council has put up so many objections and obstacles in our way that we are not prepared to spend any more time and money on it.
“Because of the planning issues that the council keeps throwing at us, the whole project for building the multi-storey car park is in jeopardy. It is on hold for the time being because it is already massively delayed. It is hugely disappointing and frustrating, particularly as we have not had these issues before in other areas.”
Mr Lumley said delays included the council asking for a full environmental impact study for the temporary car park and concerns over the visual impact of the multi-storey car park on a main route into the town. But he said Network Rail was meeting with Stafford MP David Kidney, the borough council, county council and Virgin in a few weeks time in a bid to resolve the issues.
Network Rail is investing £90 million to provide extra car parking spaces at 17 stations on the West Coast Main Line. Mr Lumley added: “One has been built, we have just started two and a number of others are in advanced stages of the project. Stafford is the only one where we have come across difficulties in terms of planning permission and consent.”
It was originally hoped to have extended the town’s existing car park by the end of this year.
No-one from Stafford Borough Council was available for comment.
8 Comments
David Kidney is as much use as a chocolate teapot.
The man is a waffler.
He hacked all the RAF families off when thier men went to support Forces in Iraq.Then he hacked them off marching on RAF Stafford when they announced job cuts,now he supports the Army.
He has a much idea about what people want as Gordon Brown.In fact they probably have the same barber.
The carpark is pathetic at the train station,you cant negotiate it for people triple parking,costs of fuel more people taking to the train.Its needed…now..not in the next 3 years..
Why do i get the awful feeling that this is only the first of many schemes to improve parking and shopping that will meet problems and will be discarded, any bets on the scaling don of the big three projects ?
Stafford has always been a bit of a joke when it comes to projects like this. It’s become a lost town trapped in a time warp and strangled by traffic. The Screwfix warehouse at Jct 14 was exactly the same - hysterical objections from the council so they took 700 much meeded jobs to Stoke. Someone needs to bang the heads together of the councillors and planning department because they are killing the town.
No-one will Park there anyway if it is built as they have to pay to park. Thats why people are getting the train from Penkridge and causing parking problems because it’s free!!! Call themselves councillors…. they need to get a grip!
Tim,i dont see many people driving out to penkridge to catch a train to Manchester.The people who park causing you problems live in your area and wont walk to the station,i know because i used to laugh at my friend who lives up by the high school and he drove and parked the car caught the train and he had no walk home when he got off the train..lol.
So dont blame outsiders…your own villagers are the culprits!..lol
Breeze for your information there are alot of people from stafford who catch the train into birmingham ( I didnt say where too in the previous post) From Penkridge due to the cost, and anybody who catches the train from penkridge regulary knows it as staffordians tell us they wont pay the price for the carpark at Stafford.. How Many Times a month do you get the Train from Penkridge????
I dont have to use the train from Penkridge as i live in Stafford.If i need to i use the bus to it.Leave my car at home.Answered!
Breeze You dont know what your talking about!!!!In fact I dont know how you can comment on the avbove considering you dont use the trains!