Ricoh train station bid moves a step closer

[dutchman]

The government has announced council bosses can start bidding for funding for a train station at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.



The scheme is part of what was originally a £15.8 million pound project to create a new line between Coventry and Nuneaton that would also see a station at Bedworth’s Bermuda Park.

The plans suffered a big setback last year when it the government failed to approve it or put it into a pool of schemes that could apply for whatever money they had left after the Spending Review.

Today, Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond has announced that a revised proposal sent to them last month has met with requirements to cut costs and so can now be allowed into the pool of projects bidding for a share of £650 million pounds.

They are 44 other schemes in with a chance as well though, with a decision set to be made at the end of the year.

Local campaigners are in favour of improvements to the line as an alternative to the proposed high-speed rail project linking London and Birmingham set to run through Warwickshire, which is due to go out to public consultation next year.

Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones, who led a delegation who met Philip Hammond to discuss the plans in December, said: “It’s a project that has great ability to regenerate the local area…”

“We’ve got everything to play for in this, and it should be extremely positive economically for the people of Coventry and Warwickshire.”

He said the Transport Secretary gave them some important pointers about their scheme and how best to present it to give them the best chance of success:

“We’ve got to be realistic locally, there are a lot of schemes that will be bidding for funding.”