£11m extra - the rising cost of redeveloping Coventry railway station

The original plans were set to cost £71m but the price has rocketed to more than £82m



Redeveloping Coventry’s railway station to give people a better first impression of the city will cost an extra £11million.

Councillors have given the multi-million pound plan the green light after the extra cash was added to the initial cost of £71m.

Now approved, the £82.4m scheme will start in 2019 and rail passengers will see the much needed makeover for the ageing station completed by 2021.

Speaking at full council meeting this afternoon Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration, said: “The station by any stretch of the imagination needs some improvement.

“Since it was built in the 60s it hasn’t seen any real improvement.”

The city council is providing around £30m and more money is being sought from other sources, including the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The council has said the scheme will not go forward until all funding has been secured.

The scheme proposes building a second station entrance building facing Warwick Road and providing step free access to platforms.

There would also be five new shops, a second fully glazed footbridge connecting all four platforms and extended platform canopies, a 644-space multi-storey car park to the east of Warwick Road, and a bus interchange connected directly to the station building via a new access tunnel under Warwick Road.

A new bay platform to link with NUCKLE (the planned Nuneaton, Kenilworth to Leamington service) to allow better services to Nuneaton and the Ricoh Arena would also be built.

The plans also look to make road improvements – including a new link road to link to Central Six and the ring road and another to link to the new car park.

Council leader Cllr George Duggins said he wants the station to be a gateway to the city and stated that “first impressions are always important.”

Cllr O’Boyle added: “Our city is changing and we need a station that will match our hopes and ambitions and show people what a wonderful place Coventry is.”

"The council has said the scheme will not go forward until all funding has been secured." So never then?

Quelle surprise!

Change of plans for extra platform at Coventry Railway Station



Transport chiefs say they are looking at getting plans for the hugely delayed extra platform at Coventry Railway Station back on track – but with a ‘revised option’ to make it more affordable.

Plans for an extra platform to solve overcrowding on trains to and from Nuneaton by providing a twice hourly train service hit a snag in January last year due to funding.

It sparked widespread anger and calls for an investigation from government rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP.

Bosses at Coventry City Council have admitted the project was “double over budget” but revised designs are being drawn up by Network Rail to deliver it by March 2023.

Speaking at a business, economy and enterprise scrutiny board at the council on February 3, Rhian Palmer, head of infrastructure, said: “We did go out to tender on these works back in 2019.

“The tender costs we had back at the early part of last year meant that the scheme was basically double over the budget available so we have gone back to challenge the rail industry on this.

“The design that was put forward was very complex having to facilitate for freight paths etcetera, putting the cost onto us.

“So we have challenged Network Rail and the Department for Transport which has resulted in Network Rail actually taking ownership of this and they are leading on a revised design option to provide a much more effective and viable scheme. Our target is to deliver the project still by March 2023.

“That will be subject to a DfT full business case refresh which will be done later this summer but is still very much a priority project for the council working with partners at Warwickshire and Network Rail are really confident they can find a cost-effective solution to enable that to be delivered.”

Councillor Rachel Lancaster admitted she feared the project had been ‘kicked into the long grass’.

Councillor Rachel Lancaster admitted she feared the project had been ‘kicked into the long grass’.

Where the garden gnomes all live!

What an awful design and colour not much different than what is already there a box..

You thought THAT was bad?

New images show how ‘nature-inspired’ art at Coventry Railway Station will look



CGIs of a psychedelic ‘nature-inspired’ art installation planned at Coventry Railway Station have been released by the city council.

The flower themed artwork is to be installed on the existing station multi-storey car park as part of a programme of public art installations to enhance visitor experience.

Cllr David Welsh, cabinet member for housing and communities at Coventry City Council, said: “The plans to install artwork, inside and outside the station, is really exciting.

“We will be carefully protecting the building’s Grade II listed status while adding something unique.

“It’s always wonderful to see new pieces of art being installed, but especially so when it can be incorporated into older buildings like this. It will help us to celebrate the station whilst conserving its iconic 1960s architecture.”

Around £250,000 is to be spent on revamping the existing station, which has largely remained unchanged since opening in 1962.

Dear God!

I know that brains have often been in short supply but have they completely taken leave of their senses?