Update on ?15m Lea Green railway station upgrade
The £15m project, which initially aimed for a completion date during summer last year, has been hit with delays due to bad weather hindering groundworks.
A key part of the station upgrade involves the previously oversubscribed car park being replaced with a modern decked car park.
This is set to increase park and ride capacity to around 450 vehicles, enabling it to become a key commuter station for people who work in neighbouring cities.
READ > Funding will 'aim to create 100 new jobs'[1]
Significant upgrades include a new station building at Lea Green with waiting room, toilets and other customer facilities.
Development has progressed, albeit behind schedule, with previous announcements suggesting public transport bosses were aiming for a completion date of summer 2023.
Last October, St Helens Borough Council, Liverpool City Region and Northern said in a joint-statement that there had been delays due to wet weather over the summer[2] which had put back brickwork and said at the time construction was expected to be concluded by the end of December.
However, further delays have meant work has not yet been finished at the site.
When asked by the Star this week for an update on the project, it was said final works are still currently taking place to both the ticket office and car park.
It was added that safety approvals need to be completed and accepted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) before an opening date can be confirmed.
A CGI of a renovated Lea Green station after the project's completion (Image: St Helens Council)
A Liverpool City Region Combined Authority spokesperson said: “The Combined Authority is working closely with St Helens Borough Council, Network Rail and partners to finalise plans for the opening of Lea Green station's £15m redevelopment which has experienced delays due to bad weather hindering groundworks.
"Safety approvals will need to be completed and accepted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) before we can confirm an opening date.
“In the meantime, final works are currently taking place to both the ticket office and car park which, when complete, will increase the station's park and ride capacity to around 450 vehicles.
“We thank passengers for their continued patience and will provide an update as soon as possible.”
References
- ^ READ > Funding will 'aim to create 100 new jobs' (www.sthelensstar.co.uk)
- ^ St Helens Borough Council, Liverpool City Region and Northern said in a joint-statement that there had been delays due to wet weather over the summer (www.sthelensstar.co.uk)