STATIONS AS PLACES Opportunity Prospectus Integration, Community and Delivery: A Masterplan for Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway station STRATFORD-UPON-AVON PARKWAY STATION May 2020 FOREWORD Introducing the concept of Stations as Places The Stations as Places (SAP) programme is a process to help put railway stations at the heart of local communities. It is designed to create a vision for the future and to identify opportunities for delivering improvements to the local environment and create a welcoming ambience. The aim is to work in partnership with others to unlock potential and to meet shared objectives and aspirations. Railway stations are more than access points to the rail network; they can be hubs of activity that are rooted in the locality with the potential to support regeneration and development opportunities. They can also host community and business activities and offer facilities/infrastructure to encourage sustainable, multi modal travel with a view to reducing car dependency and improving local air quality. The Vision “We will develop stations as quality gateways between communities and the railway, supporting the changing needs of our passengers, residents and visitors. Stations in the West Midlands will be community assets, supporting the wellbeing and development of the areas they serve through involving local community and business.” West Midlands Station Alliance (WMSA) Mission Statement What does the prospectus do for Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Station? There is an important role for the railways to play in both the economic and social regeneration of the local areas which our stations serve. This Opportunity Prospectus sets out the economic, social and geographic landscape of the area around our station and highlights some of the opportunities for commercial development, partnership working, inward investment and community regeneration. We have included a profile of Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway station in this document and looked at different types of activity neighbouring our stations, from local businesses providing facilities to the travelling public, local authorities using existing assets in different ways, businesses looking for investment opportunities and the impact of new development in the surrounding area. Get in touch and keep up to date Contents You can email [email protected] and Chapter Page Chapter Page one of the team will get back to you! Why ‘Stations as Places’? 2 'Last Mile' Concept Plan 14 Bringing our Partners together 3 Local Growth – Planning 15 You can also follow progress on Stations About the Station 4-5 Opportunity Plan 16 as Places at: Station Typology 6-7 Making the Station a better place 17-18 www.wmre.org.uk/stationsalliance Sustainable Transport Thinking’ 8 Stakeholder Findings 19 What Do We Know? 9 Opportunities for Investment 20 Services and Trains 10 Delivery Strategy 21 Station Layout 11 Action Plan and Targets 22 The Headline Opportunities 12-13 Who to contact and how to get involved 23 1 Why ‘Stations as Places’ for Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway? Who are the West Midlands Station Alliance? WMSA is a formal alliancing arrangement between industry partners with a common vision and What do we know? forward plan, including infrastructure owner Network Rail, station facilities owner West Midlands Trains (WMT) and local government West Midlands Rail Executive. The role of the WMSA is to facilitate Stations as Places by bringing together various stakeholders to work together in partnership; ensuring that the Stations as Places vision and local aspirations are shared between the stakeholders, the infrastructure owner - the station facilities owner - and Local Community Government. ENGAGEMENT Why Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Station has been selected? Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway is an important station for access to the town for local residents and visitors. The station has an important role as a gateway to the leisure, tourism, cultural and economic parts of the town. Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway provides a strategic park and ride to relieve congestion in the town centre. Stratford-upon-Avon town station Building a should not be considered in isolation when looking at transport in the town. VISION The station has an important role to play in local economic growth and regeneration of surrounding commercial and retail areas as well as including nearby areas of ongoing development through the towns planning framework. Stations as Places The drivers for developing this location PROSPECTUS The Station has seen a 16% increase in passenger numbers in the last year reaching 1.07 million passengers per annum in 2019. With over one million passengers annually the station is particularly busy at peak commuting times. The station would benefit from improved maintenance and investment in facilities. Monitoring Progress & The Prospectus Continuing Engagement This Prospectus sets out the headline opportunities for Stratford-upon- Avon Parkway; including car parking management, community integration, improvements to the passenger environment and promoting Stratford-upon-Avon’s heritage (such as the Shakespeare's birth place). The flow chart on the right shows how we are delivering Stations as Places in Stratford-upon-Avon 2 Bringing our Partners together Our stakeholders really matter to us. Whether it’s a major developer building new homes in reach of the station or an individual customer that needs to be able to make an easy journey to a hospital appointment using a combination of train and bus, the Stations as Places team wants to hear views from stakeholders and customers. Our inclusive consultation approach ensures we cover the four dimensions of: COMMUNITY LOCAL PERSPECTIVE A railway station is often a great asset to a community, but a community The role of a station will depend on it’s location and the needs of can also be a great asset to a railway station. the community and businesses that surround it. Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway provides a transport hub for the community. Park and Ride facilities allow car free access The station at Stratford-upon-Avon to the town centre and its historical, Parkway needs to meet the needs and cultural and commercial areas of the requirements of the local community and town. The station would benefit from needs to engage with them as needs and local adoption from residents or requirements change over time. Travel business on the Enterprise Park to build surveys can establish how and when on the sense of place and community. people travel to and from the stations but community involvement helps to make a The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group (SLPG) encourages the use of station a more attractive and valuable Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon railway and actively promote the community asset. Stations as Places aims to establish strong links between identity of the line and the benefits to residents and visitors. the station management and businesses, the community and other local stakeholders; ensuring that the voice of the community is heard. SOCIAL VALUE Transforming a railway station from a ‘passenger thoroughfare’ into a LEGACY genuine community asset will have a positive impact on the local An important objective of Stations as Places it to provide a long-term community. legacy by establishing integration and community involvement as the A railway station as a valued community heart of the Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway station. hub can offer a real contribution to This will involve the community taking a improving social inclusion and mental level of ownership of the stations and wellbeing; from promoting inclusivity passing this onto the future generations to through membership of a ‘friends of’ keep each station a valuable part of the local group or simply making waiting as a part community. Network Rail, West Midlands of a morning commute more pleasant. Trains and the Local Government will also have an important role in the legacy of the Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway has an station and that is why partnership working active station adopter who is actively improving the aesthetics of the station between the community and these by donating and growing plants in station planters. organisations is so important. 3 About the station KEY FACTS • Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway is a parkway railway station on the northern outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is served by trains on the North Warwickshire Line, and by the A46 road. • Construction work started on 17 October 2012 at a cost of £8.8 million. The station was opened on 19 May 2013 seven months ahead of schedule. • The station uses the Park and Ride facilities at Bishopton, whose car park has spaces for 725 vehicles, thus saving passengers from driving into central Stratford to get the train from the main Stratford-upon-Avon railway station. PARK AND RIDE • Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway is a rail park and ride facility for rail journeys to cities and towns such as Birmingham, Solihull, Leamington Spa and London. • The station is also located adjacent to a bus park and ride to provide onward travel into Stratford-upon-Avon town centre, with 725 vehicle spaces. The bus park and ride facility aims to reduce road congestion on the network of town centre roads. LOCAL ACTIVITIES There are a number of local activities in the area, with Stratford being the birthplace of William Shakespeare. • There are a number of local attractions associated with William Shakespeare including Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Mary Arden’s Farm and the Royal Shakespeare company and theatre. • A key feature in the town is the River Avon that runs through the town. Frequent canal and river boat trips take place through the summer. FACILITIES OVERVIEW Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway This station is not staffed. One waiting shelter on each platform. No toilet facilities are available. 12 wheel racks for cycling. Customer Information and Emergency help points at the station. 4 About the station LEASE PLAN Land within the blue line boundary is leased by Network Rail to West Midlands Railways.