Axe falls on funding for £1.6m revamp of city's railway station
PLANS to revamp Derby station have been dealt a major blow after the Government cut its funding.
More than £800,000, due to be spent on redesigning the layout of the car park, taxi rank and bus stops at the railway station in Midland Road, has been pulled as part of national reductions in public spending.
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John Forkin, director of Marketing Derby, which aims to attract investment into the city, said: "I think this is very disappointing news.
"The station is a very important gateway to the city and I think everyone feels the image of Derby has improved significantly since work to improve it started around two years ago.
"It's really important that the progress we have made in and around the railway station is continued in order to finish what we started."
Planning permission had already been secured for the station forecourt plans and work was due to start in late summer to autumn.
It had £800,000 of European funding, with East Midlands Development Agency (Emda) also providing £800,000.
But now Emda's share has been withdrawn and it could mean the EU cash is lost, too, if no match-funding is found.
Hazel Lymbery, director of Derby City Partnerships, confirmed that the station was losing its Emda money but said it was too early to say which other projects in Derby could also be affected by Emda cuts.
Richard Williams, director of regeneration at Derby City Council, said the authority would try to save the scheme.
"We are now looking at how that funding might be found from elsewhere," he said.
"If we can't find it, or finding it doesn't rank as a priority, then the forecourt plans will have to be put on hold."
He admitted finding funding could be difficult in the current financial situation.
"It is going to be difficult to find alternative sources," he said. "But what lies in our advantage is that we have a plan that fits as part of a wider jigsaw, we have planning permission for that work and it's ready to go once things pick up."
The funding cut does not affect plans which have just been submitted for a multi-storey car park near the station.
They are part of a separate project between Network Rail and East Midlands Trains.
3 Comments
by Chris, Derby
Monday, June 21 2010, 8:12PM
“Since Labour left us with the largest National deficit in history we have NO money left, as the outgoing government has finally admitted that they too would have been forced to make massive cuts.
Arts and cultural developments may go ahead because they are supported by charitable and cultural funds which are raised by such things as the Lottery and various trust funds and charitable organisations and could survive without the massive handouts from the National coffers.
However, the railway station is essentially a commercial enterprise and as such should be the responsibility of owners of such enterprises. The Government has run out of funds so cannot possibly invest anything in these projects.
The railway companies should pay for the improvements as they will generate more profit for their shareholders - why should the tax payer foot the bill?.”
by Lenny Left, Upper Oakwood
Monday, June 21 2010, 5:27PM
“Same old tories, more cuts for the man on the street,a total betrayal by the so called new government.”
by Robert, South Derbyshire
Monday, June 21 2010, 10:20AM
“Good! Not good in the sense improvements have been shelved, but good in the sense this whole "pitch / funding" nonsense is being reigned in on.
Two sets of £800,000 - how does it cost £1.6m to move a bus stop, taxi rank and change a car park?
Just imagine how much time / money it costs to a) design a scheme and then pitch for a money and b) have a quango go through these pitches and decide who gets the funding...
"Derby City Partnership", "Marketing Derby" "East Midlands Development Agency"... all honorables organisations doing work which is for the public good.. but we now can't afford this!
When you add up all the number of potential schemes around the country which have been "pitched" for (including the unsuccessful ones), it very quickly adds up.
This monstrous amount of money, over and above the massive cost of doing the work is a very good reason while we're in so much debt.
When they talk about controlling public spending without cutting front line services; it's axing things like this and the massive amount of quangos behind it which is really going to deliver.”