WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has called for the County Council not to abandon plans to expand the Worcestershire Parkway railway station car park.
The station was opened to customers in 2019 and has performed well ahead of expectations and the car park operates at full capacity during weekdays.
Dame Harriett has also claimed the council has failed to to support expansion plans at Pershore station where Wychavon District Council was aiming to build a 250 space car park.
Dame Harriett said: “I can’t for the life of me understand why Worcestershire County Council and GWR would not want to move heaven and earth to expand this car park.
“It’s already full at times and it is right in the area where housing growth is planned. It must be a lucrative earner as it’s so popular and could make money for years to come.”
“In parallel, I have been supporting the ambitious plans of Wychavon District Council to expand the car parking at Pershore train station, which would allow more people to board trains to and from London, Hereford and the South East.
“I’m an enthusiastic supporter of public transport and getting more people onto trains and buses and it’s good the X50 bus now stops at Parkway every half hour but drivers can be put off if they can’t leave their car in a well-designed car park.”
Councillor Karl Perks, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said: “Worcestershire Parkway is exceeding expectations that were set out in the business case. It is currently operating at the equivalent of year 13 of its business case even though it is only five years since the station opened.
“We are aware that the car park is operating near capacity on some days, particularly mid-week. We continue to explore the options to provide further capacity at the station, and we are currently working to refine those options.”
