250 extra parking spaces plan for busy rail station

AN additional 250 parking spaces are set to be created at Tile Hill railway station as part of plans to boost park and ride facilities.

The plans are currently being put together by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), with a planning application scheduled to be submitted this autumn.

The creation of additional spaces by TfWM (formerly Centro) aims to cope with increasing demand and reduce on-street parking in areas around the station.

In March 2016, we reported on residents’ concerns over parking chaos around the station.

People living in the area hit out at drivers who abandoned their cars in residential side streets, or on busy through roads, as they used the nearby station to travel to work.

They said the issue was caused by a lack of space in the official station car park and claimed poorly parked cars also caused issues for emergency vehicles.

Residents’ concerns have seen number of petitions about the parking problems submitted to Coventry City Council and meetings held with TfWM.

Speaking in 2016 Karen Sprouse, of Tile Hill Village Residents Group, said: “There’s going to be an accident, it’s inevitable.

“You have kids and the elderly crossing the road and there are no crossings by the station. It’s only a matter of time until the worst happens.”

In 2016 parking restrictions were introduced on some nearby roads but residents said that just shifted the problem with issues on Duggins Lane, Curriers Close, Conway Avenue, Nailcote Avenue and Station Avenue.

Tile Hill railway station has become increasingly busy as a park and ride commuter station over the years.

The original car park catering for just 83 cars was expanding in 2011 to cope with increased demand.

It saw the creation of 240 additional car parking spaces to give a total of 323 parking spaces.

The latest proposal by TfWM will see the creation of an additional 250 spaces at the station.

TfWM has said the detailed design of the car park and associated access arrangements is progressing.

Also that land acquisition requirements will be confirmed once the detailed design is finalised.

TfWM said it will continue to work in partnership with Coventry City Council on the project, including consultation at an appropriate time within the project timescales.

It said it intended that a planning application will be submitted in autumn 2018.