New station plan for Coventry outskirts' new homes and Warwick University
Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:43 pm
A new train station could be built between Coventry and Kenilworth stations to better serve Warwick University and new housing developments including at King’s Hill
It is among a number of proposals being considered to upgrade rail services in Warwickshire to coincide with the arrival of HS2.
Warwickshire County Council is looking at improving the rail network between now and 2034 under a new rail strategy, which it says will benefit businesses and the some 10million passengers who travel on the county’s train lines each year.
The plan would see an extension to services from the ’north-south corridor’ – which the Leamington and Coventry stops are on – to the East Midlands and Thames Valley, including stops at Oxford, Reading and Nottingham.
Council officers say a new station between Kenilworth and Coventry would improve connections to the university and thousands of homes at King’s Hill, in Warwick district land on historic green belt land just over the Coventry border.
Residents in Finham in Coventry, Stoneleigh and surrounding areas have campaigned on concerns including traffic and pressure on services.
It is located off Stoneleigh Road, Coventry, on the other side of Kenilworth Road and Gibbet Hill to the university campus.
Major road schemes nearby to prepare for HS2 and extra housing include a planned upgrade of the Stoneleigh A46 roundabout.
Warwickshire’s Rail Strategy report said if the plans were approved the station would be built between 2026 and 2033.
It reads: “WCC will investigate the provision of a new strategic multi modal station, located between Kenilworth and Coventry stations.The provision of such a facility will provide strategic and local connectivity to the University of Warwick and planned development in the surrounding area (e.g. King’s Hill).
“WCC aspires for the new Warwick University station to offer a strategic rail service, providing direct rail connectivity to key destinations. The delivery of this station may require the provision of additional rail capacity between Coventry and Leamington.
“In addition it is anticipated that new highway infrastructure will be required to facilitate strategic access to the site.”