Residents and passengers asked for views on existing Rochester station closure
Consultation launched on plans to close existing Rochester station once new station opens.
Rail users and residents in Kent can have their say on plans to close the existing rail station in Rochester once a £26 million new station opens later this year.
The Department for Transport has today, Thursday 5 February 2015, launched a public consultation on the proposed closure. The existing station will not be closed until the new station, currently under construction, is fully operational, to ensure there is no impact on services.
Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said:
We are investing record amounts in building a world-class rail network as part of our plans to build a stronger economy. The new station at Rochester will be a significantly improved gateway to the town and breathe new life into the riverside area.
In order to unlock the full benefits of this development, we intend to close the existing station once the new station is completed. We now want to hear what people think about the proposed station closure.
The new station, which is due to open in December 2015, is part of a £147 million project to improve the railway through the Medway towns. Longer platforms will allow 12-car trains to serve Rochester, providing more seats for passengers, and more frequent services will be introduced. Trains that currently stop at the existing station will be timetabled to call at the new station.
The consultation will look into how keeping open the existing station, which is 500 metres from the new site, would impact on capacity, performance and journey times. It will also consider whether retaining the existing station would provide value for money for the taxpayer.
The consultation will run for 13 weeks to have your say.
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