Wychavon District Council is set to spend £2m to help improve Pershore station.
Members of the council’s executive board have agreed to put £500,000 towards the building of a new £1.5m ‘flow’ footbridge which will cross the Cotswold Line to link the station to council-owned land at Dawes Way, in Pinvin, where another £1.5m will be invested to build a new car park just off the A44.
The footbridge will be made of fibre-reinforced polymer, so will be lighter and cheaper than a steel bridge. It is hoped it could be completed next year, once funding from other partners has been secured.
A prototype ‘flow’ footbridge was displayed by Network Rail at a rail industry exhibition last year, held at Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre, near Honeybourne.
The car park will have more than 300 spaces. It could either be leased to Great Western Railway, to deliver a return for council taxpayers, or run directly by the council.
The lack of car parking has long been a deterrent to people using the station. The CLPG has been involved in efforts to solve the problem for many years and welcomes the council’s commitment to providing the new facilties.
Improving car parking and walking and cycling links to the station is also crucial to support the development of 2,000 new homes at Throckmorton, north of Pinvin.