The full business case for delivery of the £64.85m re-development of Peterborough rail station is expected to be signed off by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority on February 6.
Members of the Combined Authority investment committee have been circulated with confidential copies ahead of its meeting on January 13. The committee will be invited to “make recommendations to the CPCA Board for the approval of the full business case for the Peterborough Station Quarter”.
This will include ring fenced £47.85m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund; the final proposals must be agreed by the Department for Transport.
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surrounding PHOTO: Terry HarrisThe project currently has an amber rating by officials of the Combined Authority which in their terms mean that “without action, successful delivery is in doubt, and/or there is uncertainty and risk surrounding future deliverability”.
But Combined Authority members have been assured by officers that “the amber rating for the Peterborough Station Quarter (PSQ) reflected the complexity of the project and the timeline targets.
“It was typical of a large capital project to have multiple complex risks, and this was reflected in the amber rating”, board members were told.
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surroundingsAnd officers have “clarified that while the Great Northern Hotel was outside phase one of the Station Quarter, ongoing collaboration with Peterborough City Council on the station redevelopment project included consideration for the hotel’s role in broader city improvements”.
The project includes:
Creation of an enhanced gateway station
A refurbished eastern entrance building
A new western entrance
A multi-storey car park
Better and” more intuitive” active travel connections to the city.
“This will consolidate existing car parking unlocking land for better use in future phases,” says a report to the investment committee.
“The Levelling Up Fund (LUF) allocation for this project has been successfully secured, subject to Full Business Case (FBC) approval from the Department for Transport following their approval of the Outline Business Case early last year.
“This funding is ringfenced for the Peterborough Station Quarter and cannot be spent on other projects.
“The Full Business Case (FBC) will be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) for appraisal following the CPCA Board in February.
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surroundings“This process is a crucial step in accessing the allocated funding and progressing the project toward delivery.”
The report says: “The delivery of a multi-storey car park on the western side of the station and improvements to the station and its surroundings will reduce the surface car parking near the station and unlock land for commercial and residential uses as well as a station square and enhanced public realm.
“New and improved public spaces and Sustainable Drainage systems (SuDs) will reduce flood risk and support biodiversity and green spaces in the area.
“Unlocking this land will enable the delivery of a direct route between the station and city with a clear line of site.
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surroundings“The proposals will make the route and paths fully accessible and more intuitive and attractive by filling in one underpass at Queensgate roundabout to provide a level pedestrian crossing to Cowgate.”
The report adds: “An improved and direct active travel route that is integrated with the wider cycle network will increase active travel mode share with people benefiting from the subsequent health and wellbeing benefits.
“This will also be supported by new cycle parking near the eastern and western stations entrances. The route will be intuitive, easy to navigate and desirable. The simplification of this route along with higher quality public realm will offer a strong first impression of the City.
All systems go for Peterborough station improvements: Levelling up funding of nearly £48m – secured by CAPCA and Peterborough City Council – will be match funded by partners, Network Rail and through the city council’s Towns Funding bringing the total up to approximately £65 million. PHOTO: Terry Harris“The upgrades to this route will also improve the step-free connection to the nearby Queensgate bus station for easier onward public transport connections.
“The delivery of a new Western station entrance will mean that station users travelling from the west will be able to make a more direct journey to the station, reducing traffic on Crescent Bridge, Queensgate Roundabout and Bourges Boulevard.”
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surroundingsStation capacity modelling work forecasts that the provision of a new western entrance and reconfiguring access to the footbridge directly from the existing eastern entrance (instead of having to go via platform 1) will relieve passenger congestion within the station.
“This will have a positive impact on passenger experience through improvements to the efficiency and safety of the station,” says the report.
CPCA says the scheme outputs are:
Western side of Peterborough Railway Station:
- Construction of a new western station entrance to include new stairs, lifts, and ticket gates
- A new multi-storey car park.
- New cycle parking to the west of the station
- Construction of a new junction onto Thorpe Road and access road with drop-off locations Eastern side of Peterborough Railway Station:
- Refurbished station entrance building with improved facilities
- Reorganisation of taxi pick-up and drop-off
- Reorganisation of drop-off locations and accessible parking spaces • Creation of a new pedestrianised station square
- An improved, attractive pedestrian and cycle route from the eastern entrance to the city centre, involving the partial in-filling of the Queensgate roundabout and installation of a signalised pedestrian crossing.
BACKGROUND
On 22 March 2023, the Combined Authority Board accepted the provisional award of £47,850,000 from the Department for Transport’s Levelling Up Fund ringfenced for the Peterborough Station Quarter scheme.
The Combined Authority submitted the original bid to the Levelling up Fund, in collaboration with Peterborough City Council.
The Combined Authority is the funding recipient in its role as the Strategic Transport Authority for the region.
The Combined Authority is responsible for ensuring that the project remains compliant with the criteria of the Levelling up Fund, the funding cannot be used for anything else.
Peterborough Station Quarter Project ‘aims to create a welcoming gateway and vibrant destination on both the East and West sides of the station’. This will make the area easier to access and more attractive by adding a new entrance on the west side and enhancing the nearby surroundingsThe project is being managed by Peterborough City Council. Drawdown of the full award is subject to the Department approving the Full Business Case (FBC) for the scheme.
Key Outcomes
Once complete the new look station quarter expects to key outcomes including:
- Improved access journey times to and from the station through a reduction in average pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicle journey times.
- Increase the opportunity for economic growth by facilitating the release of at least 3 ha of surface car parking for development.
Make the station an effective “gateway” to the City supporting an improvement in LNER Customer Satisfaction levels to above the average across the ECML route.
- Support the creation and retention of 500 new jobs through the relocation of the Network Rail Maintenance Delivery Unit into a new, modern, and sustainable operational facility.
- Enhance environmental sustainability within the station lease area through improving the public realm and energy efficiency of the existing station building
Why is the Great Northern Hotel not included in the scheme?
Peterborough City Council says: “The Central Government investment of £47.8m will fund the first phase of the Peterborough Station Quarter programme.
“It will be the first piece of the jigsaw that can be delivered within the Government’s funding requirements and will unlock opportunities for a wider long-term masterplan.
“The Great Northern Hotel is an important building in Peterborough and its future will be a key consideration of the long-term masterplan as it evolves.”“The Great Northern Hotel is an important building in Peterborough and its future will be a key consideration of the long-term masterplan as it evolves.
Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “Peterborough Station Quarter will be delivered, and it will be delivered very well but we have to do it transparently honestly and be pragmatic about the whole process.” PHOTO: Terry Harris“How and when we can make that work is still being discussed.”
