A recommendation for councillors to agree to the spending of capital funding above £500k on improvements to the Weymouth railway station area, known as the Weymouth Station Gateway Project, will be presented to Dorset Councillors at its meeting of Cabinet next Tuesday 7 September.
The recommendation in the report asks for Cabinet approval to meet the costs of the contractor which are above £500k. Any programme of work which has financial consequences of £500k or more requires Cabinet agreement.
Since the cabinet report was written the project has now secured the full amount of funding to make improvements to the railway station area of Weymouth which it is hoped will bring significant benefits to the local community.
The total cost to deliver the improvements is £997,096 and includes a £450,000 grant from the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund. The remainder of the funding has been provided by Dorset Council, Public Health Dorset, Weymouth BID and Weymouth Town Council.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder at Dorset Council for Highway, Travel and Environment, said:
“I am delighted to say that full funding for this project has now been secured. The next step in the process is to obtain the required planning consent. If Cabinet Members agree with the recommendation in the report to allow the capital funding (above £500k) to be spent on this project it means the ambition of improving this area for local people, commuters, visitors and businesses in the town is a step closer to becoming a reality.”
Hooray! I pass the station almost daily and what an ineffective eyesore it is. So much wasted space, poor signage, elderly street furniture. You have to leave the station to find a bus.
One redeeming feature is the small trees planted around the outside of the station, underplanted very thoughtfully and tended with care. Whoever does that: good job!
I really feel that Railtrack who own the land should pay and DC should only match fund if it is a fully usable travel interchange with full bus integration. Railtrack are missing an opportunity to increase rail usage. As usual is is the narrow minded rail body who restricts and prevaricates and stops successful improvements.