Thanet to London in 70 minutes when new station opens in weeks

The new Thanet Parkway railway station which will connect to London in 70 minutes is opening to passengers within weeks. It is the county's first railway station to be built in eight years.

Pictures show the platform, stairs, waiting shelters and bicycle storage at the new station which will improve connections between East Kent^[1], London and the wider region. There will be 10 trains a day on weekdays at morning and evening peak times on mainline services to and from London Bridge, Charing Cross or Cannon Street.

And the high speed London St Pancras International to Margate services will run hourly during the day with extra trains at peak times. While at weekends, the hourly St Pancras to Margate services will stop at Thanet Parkway.

It will also provide connections to a wide range of leisure destinations: passenger can get to places including Canterbury^[2] in 17 minutes, Margate in 15 minutes, Ashford^[3] International in 32 minutes and Broadstairs just 10 minutes away. The station is just west of the village Cliffsend on the Ashford International to Ramsgate line.

The station opens for passengers on July 31 and there is free parking for Thanet Parkway customers for a "limited time". There are lifts and stairs to the platforms, ticket vending machines, waiting shelters, CCTV, hearing loops and passenger help points.

Network Rail’s Kent route director David Davidson said: “It’s fantastic that Thanet Parkway will be opening next month, Kent’s first new station in eight years. The opening of this station is testament to the collaborative working relationship between our partners and Thanet Parkway will play a central role in helping boost the local economy and support tourism by providing connections to a wide range of leisure destinations.

“I look forward to seeing the first passengers using Thanet Parkway and would like to thank the many colleagues involved who have worked so hard with our partners in opening this new station.”

Thanet Parkway station is between Ramsgate and Minster and is intended to boost the local and wider Kent economy by supporting connections to new housing, new businesses and job opportunities, particularly at business parks in Thanet and Dover, as well as supporting the area’s leisure and tourism industry.

The station has two 250m platforms which can accommodate spacious 12-car trains, offering high speed services to St Pancras International via Ashford International in as little as 70 minutes, as well as mainline connections to London terminals and across Kent and the Medway Towns.

Southeastern’s managing director Steve White said: “We’re excited to begin services at Thanet Parkway, some 90 years after the people of Cliffsend last had their own railway station."

“Working with our partners to enable the communities on our network to thrive is important to us, and Thanet Parkway will offer a live example of what can be achieved. All day highspeed services to St Pancras and peak services to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross will bring new opportunities to experience the area’s tourist attractions as well as the many business and employment opportunities nearby.”

More about Thanet Parkway

As well as rail connections for London and across Kent, Thanet Parkway station provides the future potential for an integrated transport hub. A new road gives access to the station from the A299 Hengist Way, with parking for 293 vehicles, including 16 for Blue Badge holders, as well as a number of charging points for electric vehicles.

There are pick up and drop off zones along with a station bus stop which will be served by an electric minibus shuttle to Discovery Park, which can be reached in just six minutes. There is cycling and pedestrian access to Cliffsend village with bike racks and bike storage facilities available.

The station has been landscaped with new trees, shrubs, flowering grass and ivy plants. To allow trains to call safely at the new station, Cliffsend and Sevenscore level crossings have been upgraded at the same time.

At Cliffsend the current automatic half barriers are being replaced with full barriers with CCTV controlled from East Kent Signalling Centre in Gillingham. Acoustic barriers have been installed to absorb any noise impact and give privacy for lineside neighbours.

Funding for Thanet Parkway

The station and level crossing works have been jointly funded by the Government’s Department for Transport (DfT); South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP); Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; Thanet District Council; East Kent Spatial Development Company; and Kent County Council^[5].

The investment is part of Network Rail’s Thanet Corridor Enhancements Programme which includes upgrades to Dibleys, Ships Meadow and Grove Ferry crossings to permit line speed increases between Ashford, Canterbury West and Ramsgate.

Thanet Parkway station has been added to Southeastern’s online journey planner and tickets for services to and from Thanet Parkway will be able to be purchased from July 1 for journeys on or after July 31.

Never get stuck in a road crash again with our FREE traffic and travel email for KentLive readers. Find out more here.^[6]

References

1. ^{^} Kent (www.kentlive.news)
2. ^{^} Canterbury (www.kentlive.news)
3. ^{^} Ashford (www.kentlive.news)
4. ^{^} This stunning bay will be just 10 minutes away via train from the new Thanet Parkway railway station (www.kentlive.news)
5. ^{^} Kent County Council (www.kentlive.news)
6. ^{^} Find out more here. (data.reachplc.com)