Coventry-Nuneaton rail line hit by four-year delay...

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Long-awaited plans for a new rail link between Coventry and Nuneaton have hit another setback and are not expected to be complete until 2017 – FOUR YEARS later than planned.

The NUCKLE line – from Nuneaton, through Coventry to Kenilworth and Leamington– has been dogged with problems from the outset and the final pieces are not expected to be put in to place for some time yet.

The original schedule had stated the newly-created station at the Ricoh Arena would open for business this December.

Once complete the project will also see a new station at Bermuda, improvements to Nuneaton and Bedworth stations, as well as a new six-coach bay platform at Coventry.

However the latest shock revelation about the delays was revealed by Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for transport, Coun Peter Butlin, in reply to a question by county councillor Keith Kondakor at a full council meeting.

Coun Butlin told the Telegraph: “With the news earlier this year that they were going to electrify the line between Coventry and Leamington, the other updates were complicated by that.

“So it was split in to two phases and the first phase, which will see the stations at Bermuda, the Ricoh Arena and updates to Nuneaton, will still start next year.

“Another problem is finding the capacity for trains, but that is down to Centro, so the second stage will be finished by 2017 and then we will have two services an hour on the line.

“The main issue with NUCKLE was to provide connectivity and that is what it will do.”

The latest announcement follows the news in April that the scheme had been hit by budget problems that pushed it 18 months behind schedule.

The brains behind NUCKLE hope that the new line will relieve congestion on the roads for around 70,000 commuter journeys.

Mark Whitelegg, spokesman for Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley Rail User Group, said: “We urgently need this upgrade to boost the local economy. It should be an extremely high priority to get this done as soon as possible.

“We want a commitment from Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council to get this project moving.

“It’s interesting to note how relatively easy it has been for projects such as Stratford Parkway and Kenilworth stations to get off the ground, but anything impacting north Warwickshire seems to be much lower priority.”

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“It’s interesting to note how relatively easy it has been for projects such as Stratford Parkway and Kenilworth stations to get off the ground, but anything impacting north Warwickshire seems to be much lower priority.”

They've announced a new station for Kenilworth practically every year since the original closed in 1965, doesn't mean it will ever be built

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Rail users slam three-year delay to Nuckle scheme

Rail users have criticised delays to the Nuckle scheme to improve train services between Nuneaton and Coventry.

As the Telegraph revealed a month ago, it is not set to be completed until 2017 - three years later than originally envisaged.

“It is difficult to see how much more badly run this project could be,” said Mark Whitelegg, of the local Rail Users Group.

“Several years and £3.26m has already been wasted and the proposals have been watered down so much that we can’t really believe anything that is said anymore.”

New stations, at Bermuda Park and Ricoh Arena, are expected to be in operation by next year but no extra trains will be scheduled on the line until it is electrified in 2017.

Mr Whitelegg said: “It is difficult to see how the existing single coach will cope when two more stations are open, as it is already standing room only on some services. We are calling on all the stakeholders to ensure the project starts as soon as possible.”