Chester station - potential remodelling of eastern approaches

[mrcaa]

I've given up trying to find space at Chester unless it's for the early departures.
I can't count the times I've failed to find a space, driven to Bache and failed there (in the tiny car park) and then driven to Hooton where there's always a (cheap) space and 4tph to Chester or 6tph to Liverpool.
These days I usually head for Hooton to start with.
Chester could really do with opening up the north side of the station (plenty of space in the little-used goods area).
But Hoole Road is also a pest to navigate.
It's amazing how much space used to be owned by the railway in the area, and how poorly it is used today.

I’m sure there was talk of a multi-storey somewhere but maybe that was Helsby. You might as well forget about getting a space in either of the car parks after 7.30 (or often even 7). Considering the new Liverpool and Leeds services they have now they definitely need more.

 

[sw1ller]

We use a secret overspill area at present and even that was full on Friday! With all the new staff we have now, it’s getting stupid. A multi-storey is absolutely needed.

 

[edwin_m]

There are two issues being confused here on parking.

There absolutely needs to be parking for staff who can't get to the station any other way, particularly those who book on at the start of service or finish at the end of service.

Chester is an urban area so there are good reasons to encourage people who have to drive to the railway to access it elsewhere if they reaonably can. This would apply to many heading towards Liverpool on Merseyrail. Suburban and rural stations on regional networks tend to have cheap or free parking to encourage people to take the train intead of driving into nearby towns and cities where there is probably a congestion/pollution problem. But stations like Chester are likely to have a hefty parking fee*, partly because they have frequent London service and the operator want to make some money but also to encourage people to park at other stations if they have a choice.

*I can't immediately find details for the parking charges at Chester - National Rail refers to NCP but there's no station car park on the NCP website.

 

[Along the bay]

Can we stop trying to get rid of our car parks!! Trains already leave late as it is because staff can’t find a space, if anything, we need more car parks.

Could a new car park be constructed on the sidings beyond platform 7 ? They seem rarely used.

 

[mrcaa]

There are two issues being confused here on parking.

There absolutely needs to be parking for staff who can't get to the station any other way, particularly those who book on at the start of service or finish at the end of service.

Chester is an urban area so there are good reasons to encourage people who have to drive to the railway to access it elsewhere if they reaonably can. This would apply to many heading towards Liverpool on Merseyrail. Suburban and rural stations on regional networks tend to have cheap or free parking to encourage people to take the train intead of driving into nearby towns and cities where there is probably a congestion/pollution problem. But stations like Chester are likely to have a hefty parking fee*, partly because they have frequent London service and the operator want to make some money but also to encourage people to park at other stations if they have a choice.

*I can't immediately find details for the parking charges at Chester - National Rail refers to NCP but there's no station car park on the NCP website.

Hooton makes a good Park and Rail for Liverpool but there’s not much provision for parking in the stations towards Manchester. Frodsham has the most but it’s not quick to get to it from the M56. It ends up being quicker to just drive all the way in when there aren’t roadworks.

 

[mrcaa]

Could a new car park be constructed on the sidings beyond platform 7 ? They seem rarely used.

There seems to be a wasteland just to the west of Thomas Brassey Close. Not sure what the plans are for that but I suppose you’d be wanting a bridge across to the station if it was built there as it’s quite a walk round to Hoole Road bridge and back.

 

[sw1ller]

Could a new car park be constructed on the sidings beyond platform 7 ? They seem rarely used.

Used a lot at night during shunting movements. Plus, that space would be better used for another platform.

 

[sw1ller]

There are two issues being confused here on parking.

There absolutely needs to be parking for staff who can't get to the station any other way, particularly those who book on at the start of service or finish at the end of service.

Chester is an urban area so there are good reasons to encourage people who have to drive to the railway to access it elsewhere if they reaonably can. This would apply to many heading towards Liverpool on Merseyrail. Suburban and rural stations on regional networks tend to have cheap or free parking to encourage people to take the train intead of driving into nearby towns and cities where there is probably a congestion/pollution problem. But stations like Chester are likely to have a hefty parking fee*, partly because they have frequent London service and the operator want to make some money but also to encourage people to park at other stations if they have a choice.

*I can't immediately find details for the parking charges at Chester - National Rail refers to NCP but there's no station car park on the NCP website.

I think a Chester parkway could be built just south of the A55 where it meets the A41 and build a decent sized multi-story carpark there. It would stop a lot of traffic in to the city centre. But that would involve an application to Cheshire county council so it’ll never be approved.

 

[sw1ller]

I think a Chester parkway could be built just south of the A55 where it meets the A41 and build a decent sized multi-story carpark there. It would stop a lot of traffic in to the city centre. But that would involve an application to Cheshire county council so it’ll never be approved.

Edit

While I’m at it. Build one at Saltney junction too!

 

[Along the bay]

Used a lot at night during shunting movements. Plus, that space would be better used for another platform.

In that case then could it be constructed underground with lifts connecting to the station.
Wasn't aware they were still in use mainly because I rarely visit at night i apologise for my ignorance.

 

[edwin_m]

In that case then could it be constructed underground with lifts connecting to the station.
Wasn't aware they were still in use mainly because I rarely visit at night i apologise for my ignorance.

Sounds a nightmare for construction, and the sidings would have to be closed for a long time while they dug it out. Being Chester they'd probably hit either the water table or some archaeology. If there's no other suitable place then decking over the sidings would be far easier.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

*I can't immediately find details for the parking charges at Chester - National Rail refers to NCP but there's no station car park on the NCP website.

Last time I used it I think it was £6.50 a day.
In 1998 it was I think £2.50 with a £1 rebate for rail users.
To be fair the east car park is new (they built an office block on the old one), and the station access has been nicely restored to something like the 1850s original.
The west car park is still the same bomb site in the abandoned GW section of the old station it always has been.

 

[Meerkat]

How about a new Mickle Trafford station with a lot of parking and new housing, to serve both Manchester routes plus Liverpool?
Obviously will have the usual dilemma whether you are reducing longer car trips or creating car trips that would otherwise get public transport to Chester station.

 

[driver_m]

A multi-storey would be an excellent and much needed addition at Chester, trouble is, wouldn’t some NIMBYs kick off over it ‘spoiling The character of the area?

Now I remember this coming up a while ago, but doesn’t the Alstom 175 depot have an uncertain long term future because of the new stuff eventually coming in? That space would be good for a car park. Presumably the CAF stuff and the 230s are going to need a depot somewhere in the region but I’d presume the powers that be would want it in Wales?

 

[Along the bay]

A multi-storey would be an excellent and much needed addition at Chester, trouble is, wouldn’t some NIMBYs kick off over it ‘spoiling The character of the area?

Now I remember this coming up a while ago, but doesn’t the Alstom 175 depot have an uncertain long term future because of the new stuff eventually coming in? That space would be good for a car park. Presumably the CAF stuff and the 230s are going to need a depot somewhere in the region but I’d presume the powers that be would want it in Wales?

Pretty sure the depot is remaining in use for the civitys

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

As far as we know, Chester will maintain the CAF trains along with Machynlleth (which is relatively small).
I think a multi-storey was mooted for the east car park, but instead the developers built a commercial office block and the railway got the remaining space for a modernised ground-level car park.
I don't know what NR got out of it, they certainly owned a slice of the land.
From a paying public point of view, the car park seems to have too many staff cars parked there, but I'm sure the right balance is difficult to strike.
The station area is very congested, with the hotels and increasing amounts of bijou residences being built nearby (eg along the canal route, and the old bus depot).

 

[Eccles1983]

The depot stays.

The problem is that most of the caf's are meant to be stored at Chester. Car parking is the last thing on people's mind considering they are going to struggle massively to have the alstom units at the same time

 

[realaledrinker]

Chester station car parks are £8 a day. Usually space in the east car park .... on Fridays only! Oh, and the Chronicle this week reported fees are coming in for the Helsby and Frodsham car parks.