HOW DEVOLUTION IS TRANSFORMING RAIL STATIONS FOR THE BETTER Action stations: How devolution is transforming rail stations for the better Contents INTRODUCTION CONTENTS THE URBAN TRANSPORT GROUP 1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY ...................................................................................4 represents the seven strategic transport The rail devolution story – so far............................................................................................................6 bodies which between them serve more than twenty million people in Greater 2 HOW RAIL DEVOLUTION IS TRANSFORMING Manchester (Transport for Greater Manchester), STATIONS FOR THE BETTER ..............................................................................................8 Liverpool City Region (Merseytravel), Meeting local housing need through new local stations ...................................................................8 London (Transport for London), Sheffield Plugging more places into the rail network .......................................................................................12 Transforming run-down stations into places to be proud of ..........................................................16 City Region (South Yorkshire Passenger Making stations into gateways for the places they serve ............................................................... 20 Transport Executive), Tyne and Wear (Nexus), Stations as the cornerstones for wider regeneration .......................................................................23 West Midlands (Transport for West Stations as part of joined-up transport networks ............................................................................ 26 Midlands) and West Yorkshire Making stations accessible to all ......................................................................................................... 29 (West Yorkshire Combined Authority). Celebrating heritage and making space for culture .........................................................................32 The Urban Transport Group is also a wider Eco-stations ............................................................................................................................................. 34 professional network with associate Involving communities .......................................................................................................................... 36 members in Strathclyde, Bristol and the 3 DEEPENING AND WIDENING THE BENEFITS West of England, Tees Valley, Nottingham, THAT RAIL DEVOLUTION BRINGS TO STATIONS ......................................... 38 Northern Ireland and Wales. Authors: Stephen Joseph and Jonathan Bray. Image sourcing: Jess Fitch. August 2020. 2 3 Action stations: How devolution is transforming rail stations for the better Introduction and Summary INTRODUCTION 1 AND SUMMARY There’s a consensus that the current way in which the railway is structured is not They can be the focus for commercial and The report goes on to show how, by and large, working well enough for passengers, taxpayers or the places the railways serve. community activities, and they can be the spur the greater the role of sub-national authorities, As the Urban Transport Group, we have made the case that any meaningful rail and central focus for housing developments that the better the local station. Devolved authorities help meet housing need – without creating more have done this at a project level, through driving reform should have devolution as a cornerstone. car-dependent sprawl. forward both individual projects at existing stations as well as promoting new or reopened stations. In recent years we have seen more stations transformed from run-down Victorian hulks, or They have also done this in a systematic way spartan bus-sheltered platforms, into places that through following up on long-term investment people can take pride in, feel comfortable in using strategies for the stations in their areas as well as and which are fulfi lling more of their wider potential. through setting much higher standards for station facilities and maintenance than would otherwise Local councils, and devolved authorities and have been the case. administrations, have been key to this process. The rail industry is naturally primarily preoccupied However, having said that, there is so much with running a train service and exploiting the potential to do more. From putting more places commercial potential of the largest stations. back on track through reopening their stations Local stations are a drain on the railway’s accounts. through to improving interchange with bus and However, local, regional and devolved bike at existing stations. And from making stations administrations are the wider custodians of place. more accessible and welcoming to diverse local We have produced two reports to support this case, We do this through looking at a wide range of They are long-term, patient investors. Indeed, communities to making space for art and culture our 2017 report ‘Rail Devolution Works’ and our case studies of how and why devolved authorities in recent decades they have been one of the rail at more stations. industry’s biggest funders. They have a broader and 2018 report, ‘Rail Cities UK – Our vision for their have improved stations for the better in recent The report argues that for stations to realise long-term remit around improving the economies future’. These reports show that one in three rail years – and the wide range of diff erent kinds of more of their potential, devolved authorities and and environment of the places which stations serve. passengers already use rail services that are fully benefi ts that this has brought for passengers and administrations need to have signifi cant infl uence They are also democratically accountable to those or partially devolved, and that overall full devolution the places the railway serves. over the future of stations. The way this happens in has led to more investment, better performance places, which is a strong incentive to ensure that The report shows how stations are more than practice should be in line with local circumstances and higher levels of passenger satisfaction. those stations meet the needs of local communities. just the places where trains stop, they also help and aspirations and thus could range from taking They also show how high investment and devolved They are also in the best position to seize to defi ne those places. They can act as attractive on full or partial ownership of stations through to rail networks are crucial to the wider objectives opportunities to join the dots between diff erent local gateways which celebrate and refl ect the history having a strong and binding relationship with the that devolved authorities have for creating more funding streams and potential investors in order to and aspirations of the places they serve. owners and operators of stations. inclusive and sustainable economies. In this report realise opportunities. They see what stations can do we focus on the benefi ts of the involvement of for local communities and economies as we seek to devolved authorities in stations. build back better from the COVID-19 crisis. 4 5 Action stations: How devolution is transforming rail stations for the better Introduction and Summary The rail devolution story – so far Making a difference at scale The locally accountable transport authority for Another example of taking a strategic approach to Many local and regional rail services in Britain are managed wholly or in part by devolved Merseyside, Merseytravel, has a long history of raising the bar on stations is London Overground authorities and administrations. In fact, one third of trips made on the national rail taking a strategic approach to ensuring stations which is the brand for local rail services in London network are now on rail services which are either fully or partially devolved. on the local Merseyrail Electric network are operated under contract to Transport for London. welcoming, safe and well maintained. Whilst the Every station on the Overground network has to These include: signature look and feel of too many local urban meet far more demanding criteria than was ever rail stations in other parts of the country was a the case before for information, accessibility, bus shelter and station signs pockmarked with cleanliness and passenger security. And those North of England – the Scotland – the Scottish air rifle pellet impacts, this neglect was never the criteria are enforced through regular inspections. contracts for Northern and Government, through case in Merseyside which has kept nearly every TfL also invested in improvements to the fabric TransPennine rail services Transport Scotland, lets in the North of England are and manages the ScotRail station on the network staffed from first train to and layout of stations where that was needed to managed by a partnership franchise for train operations last. In addition, all of Merseyrail’s 66 stations now meet the new base standards – as well as between the Department for in Scotland and has its own Transport and Transport for rail investment framework. have Secure Station Status, and all 36 Merseyrail- increasing staffing levels and selectively investing the North. controlled car parks are affiliated to the secure in ticket gates to help tackle anti-social behaviour parking scheme. As well as setting higher base and reduce fares evasion. All stations have the Tyne and Wear – the Tyne and standards for stations, Merseytravel