Railway support group calls for station car park investment

Local railway campaigners have renewed calls for car parking improvements at Rochdale train station after plans were thrown up in the air by the public rejection of Greater Manchester's Transport Innovation Fund bid.

The STORM (Support The Oldham Rochdale Manchester lines) group is lobbying for funding for a 300 place park and ride car park at the station, which was part of the original TIF plans.

STORM chairman Richard Greenwood, of Midge Hall Drive, Rochdale, said: "This facility is urgently needed because at the moment well in excess of 200 cars park each working day on streets around the Station for Park and Ride purposes."

STORM say that when Metrolink reaches Rochdale station, which is expected by 2012, there will be even less parking available at the station if things stay as they are.

Mr Greenwood continued: "Bringing Metrolink along its current proposed route down High Level Road and diverting road traffic along Station Road onto Richard Street will mean the loss of most of the on-street parking places. Where will the present Park and Ride commuters park?"

The group believes that amidst the opening of the new Health Centre on Maclure Road and proposals to restrict on-street parking to residents, the need for park and ride parking at the train station has never been greater.

Mr Greenwood said: "As a matter of urgency everyone needs to think about this impending major problem, otherwise the usage of public transport in Rochdale could well reduce.

"Provision of the 300 space car park at Rochdale Railway Station was, and presumably still is, considered value for money by the Department for Transport.

"The pressure from Rochdale Council, public transport users and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive should now be stepped up to get that car park built before any of the current on street parking places are lost to the Metrolink construction teams."

STORM believes that alterations to the proposed Metrolink route could lower the cost of the scheme and make money available for the car park. Current proposals suggest that a complex flyover will carry trams over Milnrow Road to the railway in order for them to run down High Level Road but STORM believes that bringing the Metrolink line down to the unused platforms at the railway station and terminating it there will 'save an enormous amount of money'.