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A series of household surveys have been successfully completed looking at whether new railway stations at Johnstown, Rossett and Lache (for Chester Business Park) are feasible. The report of the survey findings will be presented to the Chester – Shrewsbury Rail Partnership at their meeting on Monday 15th January 2007 in Wrexham. The household surveys were carried out as part of the follow-up studies to the Chester – Wrexham – Shrewsbury Rail Study which was completed for the Partnership in September 2006.
The household surveys interviewed 150 households in each of the potential new station catchment zones. Households were asked about the trips they had undertaken on the day prior to the survey. The findings from this will be used in conjunction with other evidence collected in the main study.
Ernest Godward, Railway Economist for Scott Wilson Railways, who undertook the surveys for the Partnership said “It will be several more years before all of the processes are completed and we can see whether or not the new stations fulfil the criteria laid down by the Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government for the provision of new stations. In addition the Partnership will have to enter into discussions with the train operator – Arriva Trains Wales and with Network Rail to ascertain whether there is the capability and capacity to stop trains at these locations. Furthermore, the cost of new stations is currently running at around £3 million. Only after the July 2007 announcement by the UK Government on the financial settlement for the rail industry for the period 2009 – 2014 will it be possible to see whether these projects feature in Network Rail’s investment programmes”. The typical gestation period for new railway stations is between 5 and 10 years. Stations are only built if the strict criteria laid down by Government are met and there is a financially positive business case for both the train operator and Network Rail.
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