Media centre

Tuesday 18 Jan 2011

LLANDUDNO STATION REVAMP PLAN UNVEILED

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Plans to revamp Llandudno railway station into a bright, accessible, green and secure transport interchange are unveiled for the first time today at a public exhibition. Passengers are urged to back the proposal to assist the application for a grant from the European Regional Development Fund at the event.

The proposal is jointly developed by Network Rail, North Wales Joint Transport Board, Conwy County Borough Council, Arriva Trains Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government. As it forms part of the National Station Improvement Programme, which is supported by the Department for Transport, matching funding is required to deliver the scheme.

If the plan goes ahead, passengers will benefit from a refurbished concourse, which will be modernised with glazed panels to provide a bright, warm and secure waiting area. In addition, the station will be turned into a transport interchange with a bigger carpark (128 spaces), extra bicycle storage, two bus stops and a new taxi drop-off point.

The design of the new station will also enable wheelchair access and will be in keeping with the original architecture with most of the Victorian structures restored and reused. Latest energy-efficient technologies, including rainwater harvesting, ground source heat pumps and solar panels, will also be installed to help protect the environment.

The Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones said, "I am delighted that this major scheme at Llandudno station is being included in the Wales Station Improvement programme, which I launched there last July. It will truly modernise this important station and the workshop at Venue Cymru demonstrates our continued commitment to engaging disabled people and others in the design and development of our improvement schemes."

Mark Langman, route director for Network Rail said: “This proposal is driven by a vision to transform the railway in Wales and, if delivered, will mark a huge improvement for Llandudno. Support from the people of the town is vital to make this possible and we welcome the public in having their say today.

“Llandudno station is poised to be a strategic transport hub by linking the town to the rest of north Wales and beyond. It has seen a steady increase in passenger demand over the years and the proposed improvements will cater to this growth and encourage sustainable travel, whilst improving the environment and socio-economics of the town.”

Councillor Dilwyn Roberts, Leader of Conwy County Borough Council, said “The changes planned for Llandudno railway station would help local people who use public transport on a daily basis, as well as visitors to the town, helping to boost the economic development of the area. This is an exciting project for Llandudno, which the Council will be very pleased to be a part of.”

Councillor Tony Sharps, chairman of Taith, the Transport Consortium of North Wales Local Authorities, said: "We are pleased to financially support this much needed improvement to a key station in the North Wales rail infrastructure."

Catherine Casey, project manager, Arriva Trains Wales, said: “Arriva Trains Wales is a proud participant in the unveiling of the Llandudno development plans. The event will actively seek to engage with all people, irrespective of disability, gender and race and will help ensure that the needs of all are taken into account in the redevelopment. If developed, the project will provide much needed improvements and new facilities including greater provision of service information, CCTV and improvement of access - all of which will contribute to a station fit for the 21^st century, encouraging more people to travel by train”.