Comment: Railway station deserves classier revamp (From Worcester News)
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Worcester's Foregate Street railway station deserves classier revamp
6:23pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News
Comment: Railway station deserves classier revamp
Bland, uninspiring, not good enough... but it is the best we are going to get so we had better vote for it.
That, sadly, is the gist of the dialogue when Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee debated a scheme to ‘improve’ Worcester’s Foregate Street railway station.
Network Rail was seeking approval for a spruce-up of the station.
It was given the go-ahead only because councillors feared refusal might jeopardise any chance of investment at all.
It is disappointing that Network Rail, which had after-tax profits of £754 million in 2011-12, could find only £785,000 to spend on Foregate Street.
Because this is a station that could be so much more attractive.
It lies in the heart of an area of great historical interest. It, together with the bridge it adjoins, could form a magnificent gateway to the city.
Yet only one improvement of any note is being offered to enhance the view of the station from the street – an over-elaborate glass canopy to replace the current 1970s affair.
Both our county councillors and city councillors are correct to decry this lost opportunity for Foregate Street.
Network Rail – a private firm, albeit one that is dependent on taxpayer funding – has come up with a drab little scheme that does little for what should be a signature site for Worcester.
Yawnsome revamp: click here
Comments(2)
Ian_25
says...
9:23pm Wed 24 Oct 12
What should have happened is that the old post office and land behind should have been used to create a new station entrance, but that it seems is too difficult.
outside-edge
says...
10:39pm Wed 24 Oct 12
Ian_25 wrote:Too true. Network Rail (owned by the British Taxpayer) has a debt of just over £27billion. We should be lucky that we are getting anything at all which I believe the Councillors have realised by not vetoing the proposal.
Network Rail is not and never has been a private firm, it is owned by the UK government. It does not make a profit and spends taxpayers money how the Department for Transport says. This includes strict limits on how much it can spend on station improvements. What should have happened is that the old post office and land behind should have been used to create a new station entrance, but that it seems is too difficult.
The Country is in recession, cutbacks and cheaper options are therefore essential whether we like them or not.
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