WORCESTERSHIRE Parkway has been hit by fresh delay and is nine months behind schedule, the Worcester News can reveal.

Worcestershire County Council says the long-awaited rail station will now not be complete until the winter of 2018/19.

It means the project, which is costing at least £22 million, is now running 18 months behind the original completion date after being pushed back twice.

Parkway was originally due for completion in May this year, but due to a controversial legal wrangle over the development rights it was put back to March 2018.

But now bosses at County Hall have admitted behind-the-scenes work to find a contractor "took a bit longer than expected", resulting in a new target date of "the winter of 2018/19".

Worcester News:

Clearance work has only just got underway at the 14-acre site in Norton, with construction expected to start in September or October.

Some councillors are now demanding answers on how safe the 'new' target date is.

Councillor Richard Udall, Labour's infrastructure spokesman, said: "We need to understand the reasons for this delay, and we need assurances that this won't happen again.

"It's wrong and unfair that we've learned about this from the media, and that councillors have not been told - we did not know about this.

"What this also does is give us opportunity to change direction at Worcestershire Parkway, so we can have a park and ride running from there to ease congestion in the city."

Worcester News:

But Conservative Councillor Ken Pollock, the cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure, said it was a complicated project.

"A huge amount of work has been progressed on Parkway in advance of letting a design and build contract," he said.

"This includes the securing of land, ecology works and industry-related approvals for the scheme, as well as the procurement of a design and build contract which took a bit longer than expected.

"However I'm delighted work has now started on the full design of the scheme and preparations on-site.

Worcester News:

"We're looking forward to offering passengers improved rail accessibility and connectivity once the station is complete and operational."

The station is costing upwards of £22 million and has the backing of the Department for Transport, with £8.3 million of Government cash ploughed into it.

The council is using borrowing to fund the rest, but says cash from the 500-space car park and train operator fees will pay it off over 25 years.

It will be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) and make it easier for commuters to access the vital North Cotswold rail link between Worcester, Oxford and London Paddington.

It will also tap into services which currently pass through Worcestershire on the Birmingham and Bristol railway lines without stopping.