£2.6 million investment on its way for new railway station car park

Investment from Great Western Railway (GWR) has been made possible by Gloucester City Council for the regeneration of the vacant, semi derelict land on Great Western Road. 

The derelict site located on Great Western Road will be transformed into a new car park for the railway station from next autumn.

The site had been earmarked many years ago for a new court building which never came to fruition. The city council acquired the land from the Ministry of Justice and has leased it back to GWR with no cost to the taxpayer.

The new car park will create access into the railway station, directly onto platform four, from the north eastern side of the city.

This project will create 245 parking spaces and allow commuters the opportunity to park on the opposite side of the current car park. The extra spaces in a new location will not only reduce travel time but ease traffic and relieve pressure on the existing car park.

Cllr Paul James, cabinet member for regeneration and leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “This new car park represents major investment in our city by the private sector. It will bring back into use a vacant site and make it easier for people to use the station.

“This project has involved many months of work by council officers and I’m proud of the role that the we’ve played in enabling this investment. I’m delighted that the project is now moving forward”

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said: “Gloucester station sees almost 1.5 million passenger journeys a year which is expected to grow. This investment allows us to work with partners to significantly increase parking spaces, ensuring that we cater for this increase in demand.”

Richard Graham MP said: “I proposed this idea to GWR, the Departments of Justice, Transport Secretary and the city council in 2013. It has taken more meetings with Ministers, Parliamentary questions, a dedicated debate and paperwork between all parties than any other car park in history. But the way is now clear, GWR work starts in the New Year and I’m grateful to the council for their help in making this happen”.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk