Major improvements will be made at Coventry railway Station in order to complete the new boulevard section as part of the £82 million project that will be finished before the launch of the UK City of Culture.
Station Square North will be closed to traffic indefinitely from this Sunday (March 14) to complete the work on expanding the new walkway to create a traffic-free path from the station to Greyfriars Green in the city centre.
To build an attractive and inviting pedestrian and cycling path from the railway station to the city centre, high-quality granite will be laid on the boulevard alongside large planters and planted trees.
When the new drop off loop next to the station building is finished this summer, the station’s drop off and short stay spaces will be temporarily relocated from Station Square North to designated bays on Eaton Road, including disabled parking. There will also be five regular drop-off and short-stay spaces accessible from Manor Road to the east of the closed portion of Station Square North.
The transport interchange will continue to be used by buses, but a new layout will allow all vehicles to turn northbound on Eaton Road towards Warwick Road.
Manor Road will be converted to a two-way street, allowing all inbound traffic to use the current multi-story parking garage and taxi rank.
For vehicles exiting towards the ring road, a new bus and taxi gate will be constructed on Manor Road; all other traffic will be needed to exit via Park Road. This arrangement will be in effect until the new Manor Road connecting road, which is being constructed as part of the 2 Friargate works, opens in autumn 2022.
In the summer, a new exit from Eaton Road onto the Warwick Road roundabout will open, providing entry and egress for the new multi-story car park.
The Coventry Station Masterplan is being financed with £39.4 million from the West Midlands Combined Authority Devolution Deal, £27.5 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund, and funding from Coventry City Council via the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP).
The scheme is being developed in conjunction with Network Rail, Avanti West Coast, and other rail operators, as well as Transport for West Midlands, Friargate JV Project Ltd, and other stakeholders.
“I’m very pleased that we are taking another major step forward in our work to upgrade Coventry railway station,” said Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Employment and Regeneration at Coventry City Council and CWLEP board chair.
“Once this phase of the work is complete there will be an impressive walking route between the station and the city centre – which will give visitors a really warm and impressive Coventry welcome.
“It’s clear to see just how much work has already been done at the railway station. And the second station building will sit alongside the original booking hall marrying the best of the old and the best of the new.”
This big scheme, according to Zamurad Hussain, a CWLEP board member, is a testament to the CWLEP’s good partnerships.
“Completing the pedestrian boulevard would be another visible indication that work on the Coventry Station Masterplan is progressing at a rapid pace throughout Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture,” he said.
“Having a pedestrian route direct from Coventry Station to Coventry city centre would help create a friendly picture for tourists from around the UK and around the world.
“The whole scheme emphasises the importance of the CWLEP’s good working relationships with the private and public sectors, as well as our strong track record for implementation, which this scheme emphasises.”
The project also involves the construction of a new footbridge that will connect platforms one, two, three, and four to a second station building with new retail units and passenger facilities that can be accessed from Station Square and Warwick Road, providing more space for growing passengers. On top of the current station building is a new multi-story car park with 633 parking spaces.
An access tunnel under Warwick Road will link the new transport interchange to the new station building. On Warwick Road, work is also being done on the highway.
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