PLANS to redevelop Solihull Station will go to the next stage as councillors gave proposals the green light.
As we reported, discussions were held at the cabinet meeting last week over whether to approve more detailed work into renovating the Station Approach site or into relocating it to Monkspath Hall Road.
In a report, written by Lisa Whitton, a UK Central project manager, it has been estimated the redevelopment would cost £20milliion compared to £40million for a relocation.
The station has approximately 2,500 passengers passing through it each day. Councillors raised concerns about the station’s ‘overcrowdeding’, especially at the ticket hall and the stairs leading to and from the two platforms.
There were questions over whether the other two lines that run through the station, but are not currently in use, would be opened and operational, and if there was scope to electrify all the lines at Solihull Station.
The meeting also heard concerns about access to and from the town centre by other public transport from the integrated transport hub outside the station which has been serving the town since the 1930s.
Speaking at the meeting Coun Bob Sleigh, leader of the council, said: “I am very fond of Solihull station and find it very nostalgic as you walk through it but I recognise when trying to negotiate the stairwell, with you going down and people going up it, can be difficult.
“It is the best option for us to redevelop it.
“At the integrated transport hub it can be quite difficult to identify which bus you need to get into the town centre.
“It is a gateway to Solihull and we need to make it impressive for the people of Solihull to say it really is a destination, not just another station on the line.”
Further development work will examine answers to councillors’ questions in ‘defining the scope of the next stage of development’, including the best way to procure contractors to conduct the work.
A steering group is to be set up of ‘key partners’ to oversee development of the scheme. They include Transport for the West Midlands, Network Rail, West Midlands Rail Executive, Chilton Railways and the council.
