New Parkway station should be open to commuters in December

It is hoped the new Worcestershire Parkway train station at Norton will begin operating services in December, with construction work on the site nearing an end.

The station, which will be Worcestershire’s biggest, has been undergoing rigorous tests before being commissioned by Great Western Railway (GWR), Network Rail and CrossCountry Trains in the period before it opens.

The testing has been designed to ensure that the station is fully ready to open to the public.

It has involved testing and commissioning of all equipment and services such as signals, communication systems, IT connections, water services, fire tank and attenuation tank, lifts, lighting and CCTV.

Staff training has been taking place for both GWR and CrossCountry employees, including train drivers.

As the station will be a new stop, an in-depth schedule has been put in place to ensure all drivers and support staff are trained.

The last of the development work has included completion of internal fit-out, such as lighting and connection of all services, finishing touches to the car park lighting and the new footway access from Woodbury Lane.

Station signs have also been installed and the wildlife area, to the left of the station approach, has been landscaped, along with other areas of the station.

The aim is to open the station following the rail industry’s national timetable change in December.

Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure, Conservative councillor Ken Pollock, said: “I’m really pleased with the progress at the station site over the last few months.

“A huge effort continues to be made by all concerned to get us ready for the next phase.

“This next phase will be one of the most important, and complex, of the whole scheme, getting the station ready to open for public use.”