The opening of the new Worcestershire Parkway station has been delayed until early 2020, just days before it was set to see its first passengers.
The first trains were expected to call at the park-and-ride station, south-east of Worcester, on Sunday, December 15, to coincide with the start of the the new Great Western Railway (GWR) and CrossCounty train timetables.
A firm date for the station’s opening has still not been set and no explanation of the reason for the delay has been given.
In a statement, Worcestershire County Council, which has sponsored the station’s development, said: “The council and its rail industry partners have agreed that the best time for the new station to become full operational is early next year and the opening date will be confirmed as soon as possible.”
Tickets for travel from the station had been on sale for several weeks.
GWR has issued a statement about the options available to passengers whose journeys will be affeceted by the delay to the opening of the station:
“Customers booked to travel from Worcestershire Parkway prior to opening may either travel from an alternative nearby station or claim a full refund (with no admin fee deducted) from where you initially purchased your tickets. If purchased from GWR you can find out how to apply for a refund via our website. If you purchased your ticket from a different retailer, please check with them directly.
“Tickets booked to/from Worcestershire Parkway will also be accepted at Pershore, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link and Great Malvern stations. West Midlands Railway will carry GWR customers from these stations to connect with our services when necessary.”
Advice for passengers who planned to use CrossCountry services from the new station’s platforms on the Bristol-Cheltenham line can find out by clicking here.