New Railway Stations May Keep Forklift Trucks Busy
The government’s recent announcement of a major shake-up in the way railways are managed raised a few eyebrows - but it also comes with some significant news for the construction sector.
While the announcement of a new body called Great British Railways will take over the role currently played by Network Rail and introduce a similar way of operation and administration to Transport for London, the construction sector will be keen to know how plans for the railways will translate into building projects.
On that note, transport secretary Grant Shapps followed up with a further announcement of a £401 million investment into rail upgrades, including improved freight services and the construction of new passenger railway stations. Forklift sales may be boosted by the need to equip teams working on these various projects.
The £15 million fund to support the construction of new stations includes cash for two in Leeds, one of them at Thorpe Park and another by the White Rose Shopping Centre. However, that is just the start of the benefits commuters in and around the city will see, with the bulk of the money - £317 million - going on upgrades to the Transpennine route between Manchester, Leeds and York.
The Transpennine route will also be electrified on one of its busiest stretches, between York and Church Fenton, while the stations fund will also help pay for a new station at Marsh Barton in Exeter. The other £69 million will be spent on upgrading freight links between the Port of Southampton and the Midlands.
Transport minister Andrew Stephenson that it is only through “investing in, modernising and expanding our railways can we provide passengers with the reliable and resilient services they expect, and create a transport network that is fit for the future”.
Work on the Marsh Barton station has actually already begun, with Graham Construction working with Network Rail, Devon County Council and rail firm GWR. It will have two platforms and a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The station will also serve the adjacent industrial area where 7,000 people work and a planned adjacent development of 2,500 new homes.
The station is being partially funded by the New Stations Fund, which has been operating since 2013 and initially helped pay for the establishment of new stations at Pye Corner in Newport, Newcourt in Exeter, Lea Bridge in London, Ilkeston and Kenilworth.
A second phase saw funds being released for Warrington West, Horden Peterlee, Bow Street (Ceredigion), Reading Green Park and Portway Parkway in Bristol, while a third phase funded stations at Edginswell in Torquay, Thanet Parkway in Kent, Haxby in York, and the Deeside Parkway and St Clears stations in Wales.
These latest developments announced by Mr Shapps are just some of the many new rail developments, particularly new stations.
Leeds is also set for a new parkway station for Leeds-Bradford Airport on the line running north from the city to Harrogate, while the West Midlands metropolitan area is gaining a series of new stations, including three in Walsall at Darlaston, Willenhall and Aldridge.
Great British Railways: for the passenger - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
£401 million investment into upgrades to deliver brighter rail future - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Construction of new £16m Marsh Barton Station underway (pbctoday.co.uk)
Graham gets going on Marsh Barton station (theconstructionindex.co.uk)
Work set to start on 2 new West Midlands railway stations (railadvent.co.uk)
Plans for new West Midlands railway station with £400k land deal at Aldridge (railadvent.co.uk)