Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet have further confirmed their commitment to the Carlisle Railway Station development by putting their support behind the business case and the overall scheme objectives.
The proposed redevelopment will improve not just the Railway Station and its facilities, but the surrounding area too. The improvements would encourage visitors to come again, help young people to stay, make the station work better for the public, and stimulate investment in Carlisle. The ambitious plans also complement the proposed new HS2 high speed railway linking London, the Midlands and the North with improved access to new and extended platforms.
Two stages of public consultation have already been carried out to gather feedback on the project objectives and outline plans, and from this a business case was prepared which has now been submitted to the Government.
The Government has allocated £15 million of funding through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal as the first phase of the Carlisle Station Gateway and Citadels project (subject to the business case being approved). An additional £5m has also been allocated from the Borderlands Partnership Board too. An outcome from Government to confirm the funding is expected later this year.
The project is being developed jointly by Cumbria County Council and Carlisle City Council working with Avanti, Network Rail and Cumbria LEP as key partners. Cumbria County Council is taking the lead in the delivery of the project to strengthen the role of Carlisle Railway station in improving connectivity to the Borderlands region.
Bringing this development forward also aligns with the Government’s objectives for green recovery by encouraging more people to make use of public transport.
Councillor Stewart Young, Leader of Cumbria County Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the plans to improve Carlisle Railway Station progressing. Feedback from the public was very encouraging and highlighted the need to develop a scheme that will both meet the needs of the station’s users, as well as enhancing the attractiveness of the station as the gateway to Carlisle city centre and the wider Borderlands area.”
Photo credit: Cumbria Council
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