Media centre

Monday 6 Dec 2010

HAVE YOUR SAY ON STATION CAR PARK

Region & Route:

Network Rail is inviting the people of Chester to have their say on the look of a multi-storey car park due to be built at the railway station.

With 3.5m passengers a year using the station, car parking is at a premium so the plan is to more than treble the existing number of spaces, bringing them up to 392 in total.

The new car park will cost approximately £8m, have eight levels of parking and the target date for opening is spring 2013.

It will be built on the existing site and Network Rail is seeking opinions on the external look of the building.

There are four possible cladding materials and styles.

• Corten, which is a steel alloy designed to look weathered, or rusted
• Perforated green copper, similar to that used on the new station ticket office and refreshment facilities
• Steel mesh, which allows high levels of natural light and ventilation
• An arch design, which will match the arches in the existing station buildings

Jo Kaye, route director for Network Rail, said: “Providing car parking at railway stations is all about true transport integration – passengers driving short distances to the station to then use the railway they rely on for the longer part of their journey.

“Having designed a car park to meet the needs of passengers, people who live near it and see it every day also deserve to have their say.”

Network Rail will give passengers and residents the chance to look at artist’s impressions when they go on display at the station. The drawings can be seen between 10 am and 4 pm on Thursday and Friday, 16 and 17 December and there will be people from Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales on hand to talk to visitors.