Network Rail clarifies refurb funding
Network Rail said refurbishment work at Crewe, Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Central stations will continue despite losing £50m from the Better Stations programme.
Seven out of ten stations due to have been tackled through Better Stations, identified as the worst in the country by former transport secretary Lord Adonis last November, are in the North West.
These are:
- Stockport
- Manchester Victoria
- Preston
- Wigan North Western
- Liverpool Central
- Warrington Bank Quay
- Crewe
In May, Chancellor George Osborne ordered Network Rail to find £100m of cost savings. The Better Stations programme set up by Adonis was scrapped. However, this was only one funding source in place for work at Crewe, Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Central.
Contrary to reports, Network Rail said today that the three stations had had their budgets trimmed but work would continue.
The impact of the cuts is as follows:
Liverpool Central:
- Cancelled: £6.3m from Better Stations to replace escalators and realign pedestrian flows
- On track: £1.7m for new lifts under the Access for All programme
- On track: £2.3m additional Network Rail funding for resurfacing platforms, moving plant rooms to create more space and other cosmetic work
Manchester Victoria:
- Cancelled: £5m from Better Stations
- On track: £25m for the refurbishment; this is made up of £4m from Manchester City Council, £4m from Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority and the remainder from Network Rail
- Network Rail is re-evaluating the refurbishment and pursuing other funding sources to see if the same work can be done for less or the shortfall made up some other way
Crewe:
- Cancelled: £2m to pay for cleaning brickwork at platforms 5 and 6, the busiest at the station, as well as revamping booking hall and concourse
- On track: £1m of work on site now to renew glazing in canopies over platforms 5 and 6
Stockport, Preston, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western:
- Cancelled: each would have received up to £5m for improvements. No other work is scheduled by Network Rail
Under the terms of Network Rail's five-year budget, which started in April 2009, the money must be spent by April 2014.
