This has been on the cards for a little while but details were scarce (to my knowledge), not that the latest news brings that much more clarity! From the Local Council however:
I'm not quite clear on what this means for the existing railway facilities. For those that are unfamiliar the old station building that is being discussed here is on the Saltburn side of the station whilst the current ticket office building is on the Middlesbrough side. Does the current ticket office close outright (I took the reference to "travel information" however to mean the station will be staffed at least)? Is it relocated the revamped station building (seems sub-optimal as the majority of traffic is to Middlesbrough!)?
My assumption is that there going to be knocking a hole in the wall of the station building to allow access to the Saltburn platform (and station footbridge, I wonder if that is to be replaced to make it accessible?) as otherwise you'd enter the new station building and then exit the same way you came in and walk down the side of the building to access the station. Ironically this would be taking out a wall that was originally only put up when the building was originally abandoned in the (I think) early 80s. Prior to that sides of the station were open as that was the platform line ran through it!
I'm intrigued at the reference to extending the London service to Redcar Central. I was on the inaugural from Middlesbrough to London and the Redcar MP did collar David Horne to lobby directly for the service to be extended. Mr Horne, of course, was non-committal but positive to the idea as you might expect for someone dealing with a local MP proposing an idea like that! But this is the first time I've seen that aspiration stated anywhere in writing (even if it just a Local Council puff piece).
Hopefully the public consultation will reveal all. In any event doing something with the old station building (which is quite grand building) has to be a positive as it's been sat empty slowly rotting away and looking sorry for itself for many years now.
Redcar Central Station to be revived in near £6m regeneration project
A MAJOR redevelopment of the Grade II listed Redcar Central Station will see this historic railway building at the heart of the town centre restored to its former glory.
Conservation works to transform it from an empty, dilapidated building into a vibrant, more welcoming gateway to the town are planned, enabling it to function as both a leisure and retail hub as well as a key transport link, providing rail facilities including ticket machines, travel information and covered waiting areas.
£5.950m from the TVCA Growth Zone and Investment Funds has been allocated to the project to deliver the refurbishment of the building, making it fully accessible to all and including improvements to the public areas outside.
Despite being a Victorian building, there will be a focus on sustainability, using electricity only and installing renewable energy systems; solar panels will be positioned out of sight, in line with aims to preserve the traditional style of the building.
The project will be welcomed by Redcar Central’s existing users and an increase in commuters and visitors is expected as post-Covid travel and train timetables continue to normalise, along with an aspiration to bring direct London services to Redcar in the future once established from Middlesbrough.
The hourly Transpennine service to and from Manchester Airport already serves Redcar Central, providing direct connections to towns and cities across the north of England.
Public consultation is expected to occur this summer with construction works beginning in April 2023 for an estimated opening in early 2025.
Councillor Chris Gallacher, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, said:
“There are ambitious plans in development for a whole range of improvements to the Redcar area as part of the Town Deal and Coatham Leisure schemes.
“The Redcar Central Station refurbishment will benefit the town and wider borough in a number of ways, not only providing a new leisure and retail facility to be proud of within the station itself, but also by means of creating jobs for local people throughout the construction phase, in the running of the station and as part of the businesses which will base themselves there.
“Existing local businesses will benefit from the increased visitor numbers using the revitalised station too. It is a further significant development for the town and will provide another fitting gateway to the wider borough.”
Redcar Central Station to be revived in near £6m regeneration project
A MAJOR redevelopment of the Grade II listed Redcar Central Station will see this historic railway building at the heart of the town centre restored to its former glory.
www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
I'm not quite clear on what this means for the existing railway facilities. For those that are unfamiliar the old station building that is being discussed here is on the Saltburn side of the station whilst the current ticket office building is on the Middlesbrough side. Does the current ticket office close outright (I took the reference to "travel information" however to mean the station will be staffed at least)? Is it relocated the revamped station building (seems sub-optimal as the majority of traffic is to Middlesbrough!)?
My assumption is that there going to be knocking a hole in the wall of the station building to allow access to the Saltburn platform (and station footbridge, I wonder if that is to be replaced to make it accessible?) as otherwise you'd enter the new station building and then exit the same way you came in and walk down the side of the building to access the station. Ironically this would be taking out a wall that was originally only put up when the building was originally abandoned in the (I think) early 80s. Prior to that sides of the station were open as that was the platform line ran through it!
I'm intrigued at the reference to extending the London service to Redcar Central. I was on the inaugural from Middlesbrough to London and the Redcar MP did collar David Horne to lobby directly for the service to be extended. Mr Horne, of course, was non-committal but positive to the idea as you might expect for someone dealing with a local MP proposing an idea like that! But this is the first time I've seen that aspiration stated anywhere in writing (even if it just a Local Council puff piece).
Hopefully the public consultation will reveal all. In any event doing something with the old station building (which is quite grand building) has to be a positive as it's been sat empty slowly rotting away and looking sorry for itself for many years now.