New travel plan to launch at Stoke-on-Trent station

Stoke-on-Trent City Council press release
Issued on 18 June 2009

Location: Stoke-on-Trent station
Date: Friday June 19, 2009
Time: 12:00pm.

Travellers to Stoke-on-Trent station can soon expect to see added improvements to facilities as an innovative new travel plan is launched at midday tomorrow (Friday 19 June).

Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Virgin Trains have been working with a number of other partners in producing a station travel plan to improve the way people travel to and from Stoke-on-Trent station.

The travel plan aims to:-
• Increase the number of passengers who come to the station by bus, bike or foot.
• Increase the number of passengers who use the station; and
• Improve accessibility for disabled people, and parents with small children.

The travel plan focuses on bus travel, walking, cycling, and taxi journeys. It draws on information collected last year from passenger surveys and benefits from the input of key stakeholders including the local transport operators, taxi drivers, Staffordshire University, the Chamber of Commerce and Staffordshire police.

Specific proposals include:-
• Better travel and map information for travelling to and from the station
• Installation of a bus information and timetable screen giving the latest bus arrivals and departures• Provision of two new bus shelters outside the station
• Promoting cycling through the Stoke-on-Trent Cycling City initiatives with improvements to cycle routes to the station, and improving the quality and quantity of cycle parking at the station.• In the longer term, complete rearrangement of the station frontage and improving areas for public transport – including Streetcar Bus Rapid Transport project.

Stoke-on-Trent station is one of 24 stations selected around the country to be pilots for producing station travel plans. The initiative is being coordinated by The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and supported by the Department for Transport.

Councillor Brian Ward cabinet member for regeneration said: “We are very pleased to be actively involved in this project. We have worked successfully with schools, hospitals and other workplaces to develop their travel plans. As a result more people are now travelling to these places by other more environmentally friendly methods.

“Stoke-on-Trent station handled over 1.7 million passengers last year so it is very important to minimise their impact on the transport network. We are very pleased with the enthusiasm displayed by our partners and we hope that we will be able to make many of the proposals in the action plan a reality.”

Virgin Trains Sustainable Development Manager James Wright said: “We are really pleased to be involved in this collaborative exercise to ensure that railway stations remain the hub for sustainable transport in the UK. Better facilities and public transport links will encourage and enable more people to switch to the train and in turn reduce overall carbon emissions from transport.”

Locally based artist Rob Pointon will be displaying a selection of paintings of the station at the event.

-Ends-
Note to media

1. The launch will take place starting at 12.00 on 19th June on platform 1 in the first class lounge. Key partners will be present including Virgin Trains, City Council, bus operators, Staffordshire University, Chamber of Commerce and the artist Rob Pointon. A copy of the station travel plan will be available.

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Contact:For media enquiries, please call Steven Kennedy in the PR and Communications Department at Stoke-on-Trent City Council on 01782 232987.

Issued: 18/06/09