Kenilworth railway station moves a step closer

A major boost for businesses in and around Kenilworth has moved a step closer with the awarding of the contract to build the new Kenilworth Rail Station to Graham Construction Ltd.

Construction work on the site will begin this summer and be completed in early 2017, with passenger services from Kenilworth operational later in the year.

Graham have decades of experience in and around rail infrastructure, having worked on significant rail projects such as Ibrox Station, Adelaide Depot and the award-winning Tennison Road bridge in Croydon.

Network Rail will be carrying out significant infrastructure works in spring 2017, including construction of new track at Leamington Rail Station, signalling upgrades and the relaying of the track through Kenilworth. A change to the schedule for the opening of Kenilworth Rail Station means this work will now be complete before passenger services start from the new station.

Warwickshire County Council and train operator London Midland are working hard to ensure that everything is in place for the start of passenger services in 2017, including sourcing the appropriate diesel rolling stock to operate the service at a time when diesel trains are in high demand.

The new station will be built in Priory Road in Kenilworth. The project is being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), Warwickshire County Council and Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) as part of the Growth Deal initiative.

It is part of a major rail enhancement scheme designed to encourage economic regeneration between Nuneaton and Leamington Spa. The station will be served by a new local train service between Leamington Spa and Coventry.

Stuart Robertson, Contracts Director at Graham Construction Ltd, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and SLC Rail on this significant new station project and look forward to delivering the new transport facility for the community of Kenilworth and surrounding areas.”

Cllr Peter Butlin, Portfolio Holder for Transport & Planning at Warwickshire County Council, said: “I’m delighted that Graham Construction have been chosen to construct the station and we can now move into the next phase of delivering this project.

“We’re working hard with our partners and the rail industry to ensure that the people of Kenilworth have the transport links they deserve. This is against a backdrop of great change and improvements across the rail network and increased demand for rolling stock to deliver new passenger services across the country.

“The construction of the station and the resulting new train service will not only improve local public transport but will also provide a link to rail services beyond the Coventry and Warwickshire sub-region, giving improved access to the economies of London and Birmingham while boosting our own local economy and tourism.”

Cllr Philip Johnson, Chair of Warwickshire County Council’s Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee, said: “I’m very pleased that we have a building contractor in place and that Kenilworth residents will begin to see construction work on the site of their new rail station in the coming months. The station will be a real boost to the town and provide a much valued transport link to other parts of the region and beyond.”

Nick Abell, a board director of the CWLEP, added: “Growth Deals were set-up by the Government to give LEPs the freedom to fund projects which will benefit the local area and economy.

“The building of a new Kenilworth Rail Station will provide local people and businesses with a vital link between Coventry, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa and is a major positive for the region.”

For the latest news and more information on the project, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/kenilworthstation.