Station Improvement Plan

City Rail Station Improvements - Plans

The scheme will see an investment of £1 million to significantly improve the station’s main entrance and surrounding area. With the number of rail passengers using the station forecast to increase significantly, the works are necessary to meet capacity demands and ensure that people can enter, exit and wait for services safely.

[XXX] Street will become a much improved and more pedestrian-friendly environment. Service deliveries and emergency service access will continue. The area’s appearance and visibility will be improved and a variety of access options provided, including the installation of wider, safer steps outside the entrance of the station and two large passenger lifts.

New cycle infrastructure will promote sustainable active travel, encouraging people to walk and cycle more often and contributing to the Climate Emergency agenda. Accessible benches and seating will improve the environment surrounding the station, helping to create an attractive destination and a modern gateway to the city centre, South Bank and beyond.

The improvements will be delivered by Placeville City Council via the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. The works are due to be completed in 2025.

Preliminary works to start 5 May 2020

Preliminary works on [XXX] Street and [XXX] Street began in May 2022, ahead of the main works starting in March 2023.

[XXX] and [XXX]  have both been reduced to one lane for traffic travelling in towards the city centre. 

Relocation of the [XXX] Street and [XXX] Street bus stops 

As part of the scheme, from Sunday 24th July 2022 bus services using [XXX] Street and [XXX] Street were moved to stops on [XXX] Lane, [XXX] Street and [XXX] Street. 

The images below are impressions showing how the completed works could look. Detailed designs are still being finalised and are subject to change.

Pedestrian improvements

The more pedestrian-friendly environment on New Station Street will help people to move safely between the station and the surrounding areas, without having to cross a busy road to get to the taxi rank. The whole of New Station Street is to be pedestrianised, including the section which meets Boar Lane, providing a more pedestrian-friendly route to the relocated bus stops with improved wayfinding, and also creating direct pedestrian routes between the station entrance and the South Bank area which will reduce journey times.

New seating of different types and heights will also be installed on New Station Street, providing different rest areas.

New Station Street will benefit from improved lighting and contrasting floor materials, providing separation between the road and pavement to help people with visual impairments.

Taxi and bus services

Taxi services will be relocated to [XXX] Street within sight of the station entrance and can be accessed using the two 21-passenger lifts.

The lifts provide step-free access between [XXX] Street and New Station Street, and will be spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs, pushchairs and luggage.

The taxi rank will be well-lit and sheltered, with room for six vehicles. It is designed to allow passengers to access vehicles from the kerbside, which will help people with wheelchairs or assistance dogs to board more easily, as well as those with luggage. A luggage trolley park will be located directly outside of the station entrance on New Station Street.

The new rank will also allow for the front three vehicles to leave at the same time. This will make it easier for passengers to board vehicles, which is more efficient than the existing layout.

The taxi rank shelter will offer seating for 15 people, and at different heights, with sufficient room for wheelchairs to easily manoeuvre.

The new rank will be fed by a feeder rank on [XXX] and [XXX] Street. This will accommodate the same number of taxis as the existing rank, and will allow taxis to feed into the new rank quickly.

Bus services will be relocated to [XXX] Lane. The walking routes to the new buses stops will be much improved as a result of the enhancements on [XXX] Street, and will be complemented by comprehensive wayfinding displays both within the Station’s northern and southern concourse buildings, and on [XXX] Street and [XXX].

Wayfinding will include city centre maps and key city destinations along with bus stop maps and relevant bus service information, and will be supplemented by a travel app that has been developed by the Placeville Combined Authority and a customer brochure that will provide detailed information on public transport options for passengers leaving the station.

The new layout will include multiple new flights of stairs, which will be specifically built to accommodate large numbers of people during busy periods.

The stairs will also accommodate a bike ramp. The ramp will be placed centrally and be made of contrasting materials.

Cycle Hub and cycling infrastructure

High quality segregated cycling infrastructure will be installed on [XXX] Street, [XXX] Street and [XXX], improving cycling links to surrounding communities while encouraging safe, affordable, sustainable travel.

The station will also be home to a high-quality cycle hub which will include electric charging points and storage for all types of cycles.

Improving cycle links between the city centre and surrounding communities will hopefully encourage more people to choose sustainable methods of transport, while contributing to the Council’s Climate Emergency agenda.