January 15, 2016 5.02 pm This story is over 97 months old

Councillors to consider new Lincoln Transport Hub plans

Back to planning: Executive City of Lincoln councillors will consider revised plans for the proposed £29 million Lincoln Transport Hub.

Executive City of Lincoln councillors will consider revised plans for the proposed £29 million Lincoln Transport Hub.

The new plans include an 800-space multi-storey car park (as opposed to the previously submitted 1,000-space build), a new bus station in a different location and retail space.

Planning approval would then be sought for a second time, with an aim to start on site in the summer of 2016.

The revised Lincoln Transport Hub plans being considered by the City of Lincoln Council. (Click to enlarge)

The revised Lincoln Transport Hub plans being considered by the City of Lincoln Council. (Click to enlarge)

The City of Lincoln Council says that revised plans, splitting the project into two phases, will mean the project will be completed earlier than first anticipated.

This is due, in part, to the removal of the dual-purpose footbridge from the first phase of the project.

The footbridge, the delivery of which would be the responsibility of Network Rail, has been delayed and will therefore be delivered in phase two of the development.

The council has put the delay down to “rising costs to meet emerging design requirements”.

Network Rail and East Midlands Trains are working to develop the successful business case required to deliver the footbridge in the future.

It is hoped that construction of phase one could be complete by the end of next year.

Under the revised plans, the main elements to create a central hub would be delivered first – the bus station, retail, multi-storey car park and improvements to the public realm.

These include improvements to the train station forecourt and a new entrance into the station car park, which would mean the existing car park entrance could be closed to allow a more pedestrian-friendly plaza area leading from the front of the railway station and connecting to the new bus station and into the city centre.

Completion of the new bus station and car park is anticipated by the end of December 2017.

The new bus station will offer an improved environment for passengers, with capacity for more services, while the car park will provide the city with an extra 800 parking spaces.

The current bus station will be demolished.

As part of the scheme, Network Rail remains committed to constructing a 240 capacity cycle hub and other station improvements

In May 2015, the Executive agreed on an additional £858,000 of capital funds to develop the scheme, bringing the council’s total investment so far in the project to £2.1 million.

Councillors unanimously approved the original plans in October.

The council’s Director of Resources, Angela Andrews, will continue in the interim position of Acting Chief Executive.

The council’s Director of Resources, Angela Andrews, will continue in the interim position of Acting Chief Executive.

Angela Andrews, Chief Executive at the city council, said: “The city council is committed to delivering a modern, fit for purpose integrated transport hub for Lincoln. We have already invested a significant amount of funding to drive this scheme forward.

“Working closely with our partners, Lincolnshire Co-op, Network Rail, East Midlands Trains, Lincolnshire County Council and the GLLEP, we have decided to make the footbridge part of a second phase of the project so that our residents can realise the benefits of the rest of the scheme sooner, particularly the bus station which is a major priority for the council.

“The delivery of the new footbridge has been delayed, which means delivering the entire scheme in one go isn’t feasible. But, by making these changes we can deliver the key elements – the bus station and the car park – sooner than anticipated.

“This high quality project will act as a catalyst for future growth in Lincoln and provide superb facilities for residents, commuters and visitors, while making our city centre more attractive and accessible.”

City of Lincoln Council’s Executive members will be asked at a meeting on Monday, January 25, to approve the revised plans for phase one (valued at £29 million).

The project has received support in previous public consultations.

In early 2014 the transport hub project was awarded £11 million indicative funding through the Single Local Growth Fund from the Department for Transport.

A final business case is being prepared for submission to the Department for Transport in June 2016 and a decision on confirmed funding is expected in July 2016.