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Consultation on railway station upgrade plans

John BownessNorth East and Cumbria
News imageWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald Birds-eye artist's impression of how Option 3 might lookWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald
One option would create a public square between the rebuilt station and the nearby Booths supermarket

People are being invited to have their say on plans to "transform" the way rail passengers arrive into a national park.

Westmorland and Furness Council is setting out three options to rebuild and change the layout of Windermere Station in Cumbria, aiming to make it a more welcoming arrival point for visitors to the Lake District.

It says the feedback from drop-in events will influence which option is chosen, or whether a combination of the three is preferable.

The scheme is part of a wider "Windermere Gateway" project, including potentially hundreds of new homes nearby, that ran into funding problems earlier this year.

Drop-in consultation sessions are taking place at the Marchesi Centre on Holly Road between 14:00 and 19:00 BST, and on Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00.

The consultation is also available on Westmorland and Furness Council's website.

The Liberal Democrat-led council says its consultants Mott MacDonald have drawn up three possible designs.

They cover the station building itself, the forecourt, public spaces, signage and the way people move between trains and other forms of transport, including buses, taxis, and walking and cycling routes.

They all include a new station building and canopy over an adjacent area, that would both be bigger than the existing ones.

News imageWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald Birds-eye artist's impression of how Option 1 might lookWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald
The council says option one keeps the station building in its current location and improves the space around it, providing more room inside and better shelter, seating, planting and signage
News imageWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald Birds-eye artist's impression of how Option 2 might lookWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald
For option two, the council says there would be a new station building on the southern edge of the site, creating "a clearer station entrance, a more open space outside, and a large covered area with seating and cycle facilities"
News imageWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald Birds-eye artist's impression of how Option 3 might lookWestmorland and Furness Council/Mott MacDonald
Option three would create a new station building in the centre of the site, to "create a much larger public space, make the station more visible, and improve connections between the station, buses, taxis, parking and town centre", the council says

The renewal of the station forms part of the controversial Windermere Gateway project, which planned almost 250 homes on National Trust land at Orrest Head Farm, just up the hill.

That was put on hold in January after doubts emerged it could meet the right timetable for funding.

The council says even after that setback, the organisations involved still have an ambition to deliver the project.

A spokesperson said "the partners are committed to all aspects of Windermere Gateway, and creating a world-class welcome for rail and bus passengers".

Funding for the station part of the scheme is not yet available, but the council says incorporating the preferred design option into its "masterplan" will enable it to work with Network Rail to try and attract money.

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