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Road access to the station suffers serious problems of congestion and the station car park has reached capacity even before the improved rail services are introduced.
A previous study for the station was carried out by the architects, Austin, Smith Lord in 1999 in response to a more limited brief. The 1999 study was agreed by the Working Group to provide a sound starting point for this study and the Consultant Team has considered the extent to which the 1999 study meets the present objectives and has developed it as necessary.
The Project
What is the Crewe Rail Gateway Project?
This project is the redevelopment and refurbishment of Crewe Rail Station to form a 21st century transport gateway to Crewe, Cheshire and the North West. The redevelopment will give an exciting new look to the station area. This could include:
- A landmark building giving a modern image for the station, the railway and the town and a regeneration focus for local businesses
- New station access from Weston Road for all traffic except buses
- Improved bus interchange on Nantwich Road
- Pedestrian access to the station via new concourses at Weston Road, linked to car park and drop-off point, and Nantwich Road (from the town)
- New multi-storey car park with 1100 spaces on part of the Royal Mail site, replacing current 550 space car park at Pedley Street
- Better and safer passenger and staff facilities at concourse level
What are the wider benefits?
The project will attract commercial development on the sites in and around the station. There is also potential for investment in new apartments, business facilities, retailing, student accommodation, offices and hotel and conference facilities.
What is the timescale for the project?
Network Rail is already carrying out improvements to the station and more are planned for this year and next. Subject to the approval of funding, work on the station could start in 2011 with an anticipated completion date of 2013.
Who is funding the project?
Crewe Rail Gateway is currently part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) regional ten year transport programme and supported by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) in their regional economic strategy. These are two of the main potential sources of funding. In late 2008 it is planned to apply to the DfT and NWDA for funding and to develop formal agreements about the scheme’s implementation with Network Rail and Virgin. For this funding to be secured we have to show that the project has a wide range of support.
Support for the project
The proposal already has widespread local and regional support. Locally it has support from Cheshire County Council, Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council and the local community. It is supported by Network Rail and Virgin Trains. Bentley Motors, one of the town’s largest employers, also supports the proposal, as does the University.
Other partners in the development of the scheme are the North West Development Agency, Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance, Manchester Airport and the Railway Heritage Trust.
How can you show your support? / How can you comment?
Please complete our feedback form. You can complete the form online or print off and post it back to us at the FREEPOST address. This is not only your opportunity to show support but also to influence the design of the station.
Later this year architects will be commissioned to develop the design in more detail. We want you to have the chance to help shape the brief that will be given to the architects.
Crewe Rail Gateway Study
This study is commissioned by Cheshire County Council. The study is to consider options for the future of Crewe Railway Station and Interchange - known as ‘Crewe Rail Gateway’.
Read the detailed Crewe Rail Gateway Study.
Building Design Partnership are supported for this study by MVA (Transportation) and Lambert Smith Hampton (Commercial).
Background - Report of Passenger Usage
During May 2005, MVA undertook surveys of passengers at Crewe station. This briefing provides a summary of the conclusions and outputs of this work.
The key aims of the surveys were to:
- Establish reliable information on the “footfall” at the station – including information on total numbers of passengers and duration of typical visits;
- Establish information of access arrangements to the station – including how people travelled to/from the station, locations for car parking etc; and
- Assess passengers’ attitudes to the existing station and potential changes.
Read the Report on Passenger Usage.
Costing and Funding
The project is costed at £38m. Funding could be sourced from:
- Department for Transport (DfT) major scheme – up to 50%
- Commercial investment in car park, passenger facilities and retailing – up to 30%
- Network Rail – consolidation of necessary major maintenance – up to 20%
- North West Development Agency – to support image and regeneration - up to10%
- TENS (European Funding) – up to 10%
The funding outlined adds up to 120% to allow for the possibility that not all elements will be fully successful. Other potential secondary sources of funding are Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Railway Heritage Trust and the local business community.
The Government has made £1.3billion available to the North West region to fund transport projects and asked the region to recommend its own list of top schemes. For further details please red the January Press Release.
Crewe & Nantwich BC - Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council has produced a development brief for the Crewe Rail Gateway area. The brief has now been adopted as a formal part of the Borough's Local Development Framework (LDF).
The brief was formally adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document on 7 September 2006.
The brief aims to build on the improvements proposed for the Crewe Railway Interchange, and to deliver wider regeneration across the broader Crewe Rail Gateway area.
This development brief seeks to bring together all the previous work which has been undertaken in this area; and to inform developers and other interested parties of the constraints and opportunities presented by the Crewe Rail Gateway area, and indicate the type of development expected. Other purposes of the brief are to:
- Guide the sustainable development of the mixed use regeneration area in line with relevant Local Plan, RSS and Structure Plan policies and other relevant Council documents in the context of the wider proposals for the Crewe Rail Gateway;
- Provide specific guidance on planning and urban design issues.
For further details please click on the following links:
Following on from the successful consultation event/exhibition that was held in the Crewe Alexandra Football Club on 6th February 2007, a number of comments and responses to the proposed redevelopment and refurbishment of Crewe Rail Station were raised.
Latest News - December 2007
A newsletter has been produced to keep consultees, stakeholder groups and other interested parties informed of the latest developments in connection with the Crewe Rail Gateway project.
Useful Documents
The Principal Partners are:
*funding partners
Links
Contact Us
Lesley Gleaves, Principal Projects Officer, Transport and Regeneration, Cheshire County Council
E-mail: lesley.gleaves@cheshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01244 973452
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