The opening of the much-delayed Kenilworth station (RAIL 850) has moved a step closer, after gaining final approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
HM Chief Inspector of Railways Ian Prosser confirmed on April 12 that he had given authorisation for the new £13.6 million station to open, after receiving outstanding paperwork from project sponsor Warwickshire County Council on March 20.
WCC Joint Managing Director Monica Fogarty said that a firm opening date would be announced as soon as possible, adding: “I am delighted to say that the ORR has passed authorisation for entry into service subject to a number of outstanding items being finalised.
“All partners have worked extremely hard to move this forward so that the station can open as soon as possible. Once these have been finalised, we will be in position to confirm the date for the station to open.”
ORR approval has also been welcomed by the station’s operator West Midlands Trains, with a spokesman describing it as a “significant step forward”.
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 851, published on April 25, and available digitally on Android/iPad from April 21.
- Read Fraser Pithie's take on the situation in RAIL 850, out now.
AndrewJGwilt1989 - 17/04/2018 20:53
I bet the people who live in Kenilworth or near Kenilworth have made complaints to West Midlands Railway, Network Rail, Warwick Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council about the railway station not opening in time. And that has meant it has missed its opening date due to technical problems or issues at the station and yes the people would of took their complaints to their local MP’s on whether if the new railway station could open in the Summer or before the end of 2018. It’s a disgrace that all the public money has been spent on rebuilding a railway station in Kenilworth that was declared to reopen in December last year then was put forward to March this year and still there isn’t no opening date on whether if the newly rebuilt railway station in the small Warwickshire town could reopen. People would of drove to the nearest stations ie: Coventry, Warwick Central/Parkway or Leamington Spa to catch the train they need to commute into London &/or Birmingham and to other towns/cities such as Northampton, Rugby, Banbury, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon and elsewhere on the train. Via interchanging at Leamington Spa &/or Coventry.