From post office to... a super-station
WORCESTER'S main Post Office branch could become part of a new super station linking rail, bus and taxi services in the city.
The Post Office is relocating from Foregate Street to the first floor of the city's WH Smith shop in the High Street on Thursday, May 22.
Worcestershire County Council and London Midland rail bosses have already had preliminary discussions about whether the site could be bought and used to create a high-quality gateway station for the city centre.
The idea was revealed by London Midland business integration director Mike Haigh at the annual meeting of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group (CLPG). It is planned to be discussed in secret session of the Worcestershire County Council cabinet meeting tomorrow.
County council cabinet member for environment Derek Prodger, who will be putting the idea to his colleagues, said: "We are interested in looking at the purchase of the Foregate Street Post Office building. The idea is fairly fresh.
"If we could acquire it, we could do a very good enhancement of the area. The county council is interested but I do need to get cabinet approval."
He said there were no detailed plans of how it would be developed but the idea would be to improve the facilities there and bring rail, bus and taxi services together, including a customer information centre on the site to make it easy for people to travel to, from and within the city.
The building, which has housed the city's post office since 1953, is owned by the Royal Mail Group, which has put the building on the market, and Foregate Street Station is owned by London Midland.
The post office is thought to have a guide price of about £800,000 but one city estate agent said up to £1m would have to be spent refurbishing and converting it for office and shops.
Coun Prodger said: "It is an opportunity for the county council. We will not be the only bidder for the building. It is a very prestigious location."
John Ellis, vice chairman of the CLPG - a voluntary organisation striving to safeguard and promote rail services - said they were very keen to see improvements at Foregate Street station.
He said: "The big problem is there is no car park and nowhere to set down and pick up. Access to the platforms is also a problem.
"The location is wonderful and we would welcome improvements and integration with other forms of transport."
Mr Ellis said once the university expands, it is expected many of the students will travel into Worcester by rail.
President of the CLPG Lord Faulkner of Worcester said: "I think it is an excellent idea.
"The station is in a wonderful situation and everybody keeps saying We must do something about Foregate Street station'.
"The important thing is that we take advantage of the opportunity this building provides."
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CommentPosted by: Stan Parr, Pershore on 10:23am Wed 14 May 08
"It is planned to be discussed in secret session of the Worcestershire County Council cabinet meeting tomorrow."
Well, it's not secret now, is it?
How about some transparency in politics and local government - for a change?
"It is planned to be discussed in secret session of the Worcestershire County Council cabinet meeting tomorrow."
Well, it's not secret now, is it?
How about some transparency in politics and local government - for a change?
Posted by: CJH, Worcester on 10:45am Wed 14 May 08
And road access to this superstation would be how exactly? Just try and drive from the City Walls Road to The Tything and beyond via Foregate Street! Even when it's not rush hour it's a complete nightmare.
And road access to this superstation would be how exactly? Just try and drive from the City Walls Road to The Tything and beyond via Foregate Street! Even when it's not rush hour it's a complete nightmare.
Posted by: CJH, Worcester on 11:21am Wed 14 May 08
Secret session? Haven't they just spent £870k to make council meetings more accessible to the public (that's us taxpayers in case the Council aren't sure on that point). But then I see that this idea is one of Derek Prodgers'. Think back a few weeks to his idea to introduce a bus lane to Newtown Road, and the many, many comments that 'plan' resulted in - http://www.worcester
news.co.uk/news/wnne
wslatest/display.var
.2152541.0.a_new_bus
_lane_on_this_road_o
r_pay_to_drive_along
_it.php
Surely a better plan would be to develop Shrub Hill, which has more room - and take the opportunity to knock down that hideous office block in front of it.
Am eagerly awaiting Mr Prodgers next suggestion to ease our traffic worries. I'm thinking maybe a city centre airport - I think there's just enough room along Wylds Lane if you put a few double yellow lines down to stop parking!
Secret session? Haven't they just spent £870k to make council meetings more accessible to the public (that's us taxpayers in case the Council aren't sure on that point). But then I see that this idea is one of Derek Prodgers'. Think back a few weeks to his idea to introduce a bus lane to Newtown Road, and the many, many comments that 'plan' resulted in - http://www.worcester
news.co.uk/news/wnne
wslatest/display.var
.2152541.0.a_new_bus
_lane_on_this_road_o
r_pay_to_drive_along
_it.php
Surely a better plan would be to develop Shrub Hill, which has more room - and take the opportunity to knock down that hideous office block in front of it.
Am eagerly awaiting Mr Prodgers next suggestion to ease our traffic worries. I'm thinking maybe a city centre airport - I think there's just enough room along Wylds Lane if you put a few double yellow lines down to stop parking!
Posted by: molcat, worcester on 12:46pm Wed 14 May 08
What a daft idea! It would be far better to shut down this old and probably unprofitable railway station and move it elsewhere. Can I suggest it's relocated to upstairs at W H Smiths?
What a daft idea! It would be far better to shut down this old and probably unprofitable railway station and move it elsewhere. Can I suggest it's relocated to upstairs at W H Smiths?
Posted by: CJH, Worcester on 1:35pm Wed 14 May 08
Molcat - sorry, but we need money for the Wylds Lane airport plan first!
Molcat - sorry, but we need money for the Wylds Lane airport plan first!
Posted by: grumpyoldman, worcester on 4:31pm Wed 14 May 08
what about a cross channel ferry port on the canal near the commandery Mr Prodger
what about a cross channel ferry port on the canal near the commandery Mr Prodger
Posted by: CJH, Worcester on 4:54pm Wed 14 May 08
Wonder if there's room for a helicopter landing pad on the Cathedral tower?
Wonder if there's room for a helicopter landing pad on the Cathedral tower?
Posted by: Stan Parr, Pershore on 5:14pm Wed 14 May 08
Handy for a subway Station - or for real progress, a Monorail!
Relocate entirely gets my money!
Access to Foregate Street is impossible - we now go to Droitwich...and park!
Handy for a subway Station - or for real progress, a Monorail!
Relocate entirely gets my money!
Access to Foregate Street is impossible - we now go to Droitwich...and park!
Posted by: John Wylds, Worcester on 8:26pm Wed 14 May 08
You have to stop thinking about the Post Office just being the edifice that fronts onto Foregate Street. Behind it, there are buildings that run alongside the railway lines all the way back to Sansome Walk. And there is vehicular access to the rear of the Post office already from Sansome Walk. Demolising all of these buildings and you could have enough room for a suitable transport interchange.
You have to stop thinking about the Post Office just being the edifice that fronts onto Foregate Street. Behind it, there are buildings that run alongside the railway lines all the way back to Sansome Walk. And there is vehicular access to the rear of the Post office already from Sansome Walk. Demolising all of these buildings and you could have enough room for a suitable transport interchange.
Posted by: Logik, worcester on 9:02pm Wed 14 May 08
Please Please Please don't give Cllr Prodger any more daft and unworkable ideas. By next week he'll have proposals for all of them.
As for the city airport, I move that we used County Hall as the terminal building and we can then use the adjacent link road as the runway. If we then need a second runway we could always use the M5. Job sorted.
Please Please Please don't give Cllr Prodger any more daft and unworkable ideas. By next week he'll have proposals for all of them.
As for the city airport, I move that we used County Hall as the terminal building and we can then use the adjacent link road as the runway. If we then need a second runway we could always use the M5. Job sorted.
Posted by: CJH, Worcester on 1:03am Thu 15 May 08
Logik, I think Mr Prodger is more than capable of generating his own daft and unworkable ideas without any help from us!
Now, we really can't consider County Hall as the airport - too much noise may wake some councillors up from their permanent dream-like state...
Logik, I think Mr Prodger is more than capable of generating his own daft and unworkable ideas without any help from us!
Now, we really can't consider County Hall as the airport - too much noise may wake some councillors up from their permanent dream-like state...
Posted by: Logik, worcester on 1:57pm Thu 15 May 08
Well CJH, I was thinking more along the lines of relocating them (the further away form Worcs the better)so that we could at least make some effective use of the building.
Well CJH, I was thinking more along the lines of relocating them (the further away form Worcs the better)so that we could at least make some effective use of the building.
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