Railway station now on track

THE long-awaited new railway station for Warrington West is finally on track after planning chiefs gave detailed plans the seal of approval.
Members of Warrington Borough Council’s development management committee approved Network Rail’s proposals for Chapelford station – some 20 years after proposals were first put forward.
The two-platform station was first mooted in the mid-1990s and was given outline approval as part of Chapelford urban village scheme in May 2002.
But detailed proposals have now been approved for land west of Belvedere Drive and Detroit Close, south of Oklahoma Boulevard and Boston Boulevard, and north of Sycamore Lane.
There were expressions of concern from some nearby residents worried about noise and car parking but the committee was told the occupants of nearby houses had known about the station when they bought their homes.
The development will have a station building, footbridge, two lift towers and a car park for 261 vehicles.
The site will be well lit and covered by CCTV cameras.
\\it has been designed to cope with 607,700 passengers by 2020 and 737,100 passengers by 2040.
There will be charging points for electric car users, a dedicated bus-only section of road immediately outside the station and a taxi rank and drop-off facilities, as well as a covered compound for 42 pedal cycles.
Planners believe the station will reduce congestion on local roads by taking both local and strategic trips off the highway network.
There are currently no plans to close the nearby, existing Sankey station.