Nigel Rock Proposes Transport Interchange for Leamington

6.33.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Jul 2008

The railway station at Leamington is next to the closed Ford Foundry, and the whole area is being looked at for development.

Nigel Rock PPC

Nigel Rock, Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Kenilworth & Southam, has been talking to Lib Dem Councillors in Leamington to see if we can get a better interchange for those that live in the villages around Leamington with local transport.

He says: "Travelling by train from Leamington would be made much easier if the bus actually stopped near the station and we need better, secure parking to help us all use the train. It's daft to have to go all the way to Warwick Parkway to get satisfactory parking and the 63/64 bus service goes from our area nearly all the way to the station, but not quite. Lib Dems want to see railways better utilised and here is an opportunity to improve things locally."

Nigel has made the following written input to Warwick District Council:

It would appear that development proposals are being considered for the redevelopment of the site. I would like to make representation to be considered in any planning framework document.

Leamington spa railway station serves not only the town of Leamington, but is the focus for many travellers from the surrounding countryside, to the north and east. Travellers who live in areas covered by the new parliamentary constituency of Kenilworth and Southam (which includes the districts of Stratford and Rugby as well as Warwick) would welcome improved opportunities to make use of rail services from Leamington. In particular there are problems at present with integrating local travel to the station. I see rail as the most sustainable form of transport and each use should be maximised where practically possible. Such an opportunity now appears to present itself.

The key issue is with interchange with local forms of transport. I foresee this would be for pedestrians and for cyclists within the local catchment, but also for bus and car from the rural areas. My own Ward is serviced by the 63/64 service, yet the interchange with the railway station in Leamington is currently grossly unsatisfactory. Any development proposals should create an effective and convenient interchange with bus services. Furthermore, many rural areas do not have access to a bus service and the only alternative is to use car. Presently, the area around the station is used for on street parking by rail users, or District Council car parks where these are available. It would benefit both local residents, local businesses and rurally based rail users if there was improved parking provision near the station. This would also promote travel by rail to intermediate distance destinations, such as Birmingham.