Published on: Thursday, 14 February 2013
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Abellio train operator Greater Anglia has welcomed the recent announcement by Government to invest £62m in cycling schemes across the country including an allocation of £445k to develop a new cycle hub at Norwich station. Norwich is one of 3 Greater Anglia stations to receive funding as part of this initiative, the others being Colchester and Ely.
At Norwich, working in partnership with Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council, Greater Anglia will design and build a new cycle hub at the station to embrace all cycle parking in one area, and provide cycle retail and maintenance facilities, with the overall capacity for cycle parking increased from 158 to 300 spaces. The scheme includes a funding contribution of £20k from the City and County Councils.
The cycle hub will be equipped with brand new parking stands and will also feature some secure cycle parking areas. The existing cycle stands at the station which are situated in a number of different locations, will be re-located to other local stations in the Norfolk area, increasing parking at rural stations by an overall total of 100 additional spaces.
The work at Norwich is expected to commence later this year with completion in Spring 2014. This investment positively reflects the strategy adopted by Abellio, whereby their companies are encouraged to develop innovative partnerships to promote and increase cycling usage at stations, as part of expanding and improving transport integration and green travel choices.
A number of stations at Abellio’s other train companies – Merseyrail and Northern Rail – are also benefitting from participation in this Government-funded scheme. Greater Anglia is already developing new and comprehensive cycle hubs at Cambridge and Chelmsford as part of its franchise commitments.
Ruud Haket, Managing Director, Greater Anglia said: “I am extremely pleased that our work to promote and encourage travel to stations by cycle is being supported through this initiative. Norwich is a popular location for commuters who cycle to the station and the significant boost to cycle parking capacity and facilities will encourage even more. By working with Government and our partners in local authorities and through innovative schemes such as Station Travel Plans, we are playing our part in offering more and effective green travel choices for the communities we serve.”
Councillor Bert Bremner, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for environment and development said: “Norwich City Council is especially pleased to be able to support a scheme that has cycling at its very heart as part of commitment to promoting a range of transport options. The health and environmental benefits of cycling are well known and are perhaps why enthusiasm for it seems to be on the up and up, whether as a sustainable way of getting about or taking in some exercise or as a leisure activity.”
Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation said: "This is another exciting development for cyclists, and for the integration of different modes of transport at Norwich rail station. Cycling has an important place in our Transport for Norwich plans, through which we are creating a transport system fit for a dynamic regional capital in the 21st century."