Full Steam Ahead for Kenilworth Station Plan

1.22.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Apr 2008

Liberal Democrats in Kenilworth are celebrating the news of a huge step forward this week for plans for a station in Kenilworth, with Warwickshire County Council and train operator Arriva CrossCountry agreeing to develop a joint business case for the scheme.

Cllr John Whitehouse - dreaming of the new station!

County councillor John Whitehouse (Liberal Democrat, Kenilworth Abbey) said:

"Kenilworth Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for many years to get Kenilworth station back 'on the map' and being taken seriously by the railway industry.

My predecessor as county councillor for Kenilworth Abbey, Haydn Thomas, first raised the issue back in the early 1970's, and was well known throughout the council for bringing it up at every conceivable opportunity!

More recently, when the Department of Transport was consulting on the new rail franchise arrangements in 2006, Kenilworth Liberal Democrats organised a 521 signature petition which was submitted to the Secretary of State, and which was mentioned specifically by the DfT in its documents that went out to potential bidders."

Retired councillor Haydn Thomas said:

"I'm delighted at this news after so many years of trying. All along the people of Kenilworth have been clear that they wanted a station, so it's great that the new train operator has agreed to work with the County Council to make it a reality."

Cllr. Whitehouse added:

"We know that a final go-ahead is still dependent on an acceptable business case for the scheme, but I am confident that this can be achieved. My colleague Councillor Pat Ryan has been leading a Kenilworth Initiative on Climate Change during his year as town mayor, and the importance of the station and encouraging all forms of sustainable travel has come up time and again from local residents."