Yawnsome - 'boring' station revamp plan gets the go-ahead

9:45am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News By Tom Edwards

REVAMP: The front of Foregate Street station (20391904) REVAMP: The front of Foregate Street station (20391904)

DULL, bland, uninspiring, not good enough... just some of the words councillors used to describe a revamp of Worcester’s Foregate Street railway station.

But despite publicly slating a proposed £785,000 upgrade, the plans were approved after councillors admitted they feared it would be left to rot for 10 years unless it was waved through.

Network Rail has secured agreement to replace two 1970s canopies and install automatic doors to both entrances, create cycle storage areas, new customer service screens and give the station a lick of paint.

Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee voted in favour of the project yesterday – but not without them labelling it a letdown.

Councillor Derek Prodger said: “I feel we’ve missed a golden opportunity – this does nothing to enhance the gateway to this most historical setting in Worcester.

"We’ve been saying long-term improvements are needed for two decades. To be honest, I’m disappointed.”

During consultations with Worcester City Council in the summer, the Guildhall’s planning chiefs described it as bland and uninspiring – something councillors agreed with yesterday.

Coun Alwyn Davies, chairman of the county’s planning committee, said: “I have great sympathy with the view expressed by Worcester city.

"They called it dull, bland and uninspiring and they are right. It’s just not good enough for such an important site. This is wrong, and I won’t be voting for it. Worcester deserves better for such an historical gateway.”

During the debate several members of the committee considered rejecting the project, but feared if they did so, it would destroy the chances of the site getting any investment. Coun Sue Askin said: “The station at the moment is seedy and a disgrace – I will be supporting it.”

Coun Emma Moffett said: “If we don’t agree for this money to be spent we’ll be having these same conversations in 10 years’ time.”

Peter Blake, the head of integrated transport, told the committee there was no other available pot of money to improve the work.

“We are continuing to look at funding for transport improvements across the county, and this site would come under that, but there’s nothing else for this at the moment,” he said.

Coun Terry Spencer said: “If we stand around and wait for more money, how long will we have to wait?

“Surely, doing something to the station now is better than doing nothing.”

When it went a show of hands, Coun Davies voted against, Coun Prodger abstained but everyone else present, nine politicians in total, backed it.

For Worcester News comment click here.

Comments(16)

pedalrider says...
10:03am Wed 24 Oct 12

Another Donald Trump!

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Endconreignforever says...
10:06am Wed 24 Oct 12

I fail to see what the improvements are! How can they justify £785k on a lick of paint? I never heard of that amount being spent on some painting...oh and by the way the Gateway into Worcester is Shrub Hill..now that needs something major doing to it...In my opinion dull, boring and uninspiring...and a waste of £785K that could have kept a few more jobs going through resession..shame on this Tory lead council..

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140354 says...
10:21am Wed 24 Oct 12

... and not a gold tile in sight ;o)

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worcswolf says...
10:48am Wed 24 Oct 12

to be fair theirs not a lot you could do to it bearing in mind the location and grade 2 listing. this isnt a major hub and i could not see Tesco allowing the express to be knocked down to open it up. £785k sounds a lot but when you factor in everything a job like this entails probably a fair estimate.

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glen dipple says...
10:50am Wed 24 Oct 12

the biggest eyesore is the corrugated tin cladding which is on show as you walk down foregate street,which dates back to the 60's,yet that is being kept.also look at the photo...a car blocking the entrance,no bollards are to be erected to stop this as the land belongs to network rail.so being as all this belongs to network rail,sub leased to london midland,then why are the council funding this.?.

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Hack says...
11:07am Wed 24 Oct 12

They could at least paint the corrugate.

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Jabbadad says...
11:13am Wed 24 Oct 12

When mentioning Shrub Hill I recall over a £million being spent on that, and after those who would preserve anything as long as it pleased their eyes, were finished with this and that having to be preserved, we were left with a non-discript Station which still looks scruffy and struggles to be efficient in the 21st century travel requirements. Apart from automatic doors it's NO CHANGE. NO TOILETS NO STAFF (or limited hours booking office now) AND STILL THE HIGH RISE OFFICE BLOCK EYESORE. So let's hope the same NOBODIES who were involved in Shrub Hill's non-event are not included in Foregate Street.

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Rob Peachey says...
12:18pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Amongst the 'impovements' I hope we are going to see the tiled wall under the bridge on the side opposite the station entry given some treatment! This tiled wall and a large dirty opening has been in need of attention for very many years.

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More Tea Vicar says...
1:02pm Wed 24 Oct 12

It might not be brilliant, but it doesn't seem bad. At times like this, let's be realistic.

And look at the Hive!!

Do we really want to let our Councillors do something they regard as 'interesting'?

No, much better to concentrate on Shrub Hill. Foregate Street can never be particularly visibly inspiring, and even if it was, it wouldn't matter, because you can barely see it.

Shrub Hill is a completely different matter.

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waddle says...
4:02pm Wed 24 Oct 12

A railway station needs to be functional and meet the essential needs of the rail travelling public. it does not need to be, should not be, a modern art gallery or a piece of modern artwork in its own right. Take that healthy budget and spend it efficiently on refurbishment to emphasize the original period features and to eradicate the 1960/1970 corrugated galvanised steel temporary panelling. Get the toilets working, get a waiting room organised and get some decent lighting and perhaps arrange for private provider of snack/drinks.

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Endconreignforever says...
11:09pm Wed 24 Oct 12

No way...modernize, Shrub Hill should have an amazing glass roof over the station..it should have all the amineties of any public station..Forgate needs a glass entrance maybe some Gold around the walls to match the beautiful Hive Building, at the price fares are the traveling public deserve more..if the Politicians paid the correct fares and did less fare dodging (George Osborne fare dodger) then maybe there would be more money to be spent...

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More Tea Vicar says...
8:17am Thu 25 Oct 12

Good point.

Le'ts just demolish Shrub Hill and Foregate, combine the facilities of both and make one new, gold-plated 'transport experience hub'.

Call in the consultants, splodge out a few million quid on them, and start the ball rolling.

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CDH says...
12:54pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Public transport is the way forward :(

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mr_wilson15 says...
1:40pm Thu 25 Oct 12

140354 wrote:
... and not a gold tile in sight ;o)
Fairly sure the existing stonework beneath the bridge has been re-clad in gold. Certainly looks that way from the crummy image we've been allowed to see.

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Malaky says...
10:44am Mon 29 Oct 12

Councillor Derek Prodger is the expert at wasting money, just look at the £10M he squandered on the unwanted road improvements and bus lanes!

If "bodger" is against it, then it must be good!

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More Tea Vicar says...
5:24pm Mon 29 Oct 12

Malaky wrote:
Councillor Derek Prodger is the expert at wasting money, just look at the £10M he squandered on the unwanted road improvements and bus lanes!

If "bodger" is against it, then it must be good!
I thought it was 'only' £4 million.

The man is, frankly, a disgrace. How he and his cronies got away with the road schemes, which made things worse, and in some cases are actually dangerous, is beyond me.

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