CHANGES AHEAD FOR YORK STATION
Published at 12:39 on Tuesday 9th March 2021
Tags: York, York City Council, York Station, Network Rail
Last year, plans were announced to radically alter the area around the front of York station, creating more public spaces and removing an old bridge that is no longer required.
The proposals have now been granted planning permission, with work expected to commence later this year. Under the scheme, Queen Street bridge, which is positioned in front of the city walls and previously provided railway access to the second station, now restored and in use as the main offices for City of York Council, is to be demolished, allowing the road to remain flat and on the level. The former Parcels building next to the main portico is to be demolished, as is the York Railway Institute band room and the Unipart Rail Service Centre that lies between the station and commuter car park.
Instead the parcels office and current entrance/exit to the long-stay car park will be transformed into a new taxi/pick-up and drop-off area, the portico, along with Tea Room Square are to be pedestrianised, with the existing short stay car park, which is located on the north side of station, on the site of former Scarborough, Pickering and Whitby bay platforms, will be relocated into part of the current long stay parking. The bus stops outside the station will be spread out to provide a safer environment and a 636-space multi-story car park is to be built in the current long-stay parking area at the southern end of the station. In respect of the latter, LNER says it recognises the need to reduce car journeys, but that a mode switch to electric vehicles is expected for which parking spaces will still be required. There are also plans to bring e-scooters to the station which passengers and the public can then hire.
