Friends of Padgate Station (Sub Group of LRA)
- By Paul Adams
- April 4, 2016
- Comments Off on Friends of Padgate Station (Sub Group of LRA)
Friends of Padgate Station (Sub Group of LRA)
The Friends of Padgate Station, held its first meeting last Thursday (31st March). The meeting was hosted by our own committee member Bob McLaughlin. Hard work has gone into this and I hope you will help support this project, well done Bob!
Below is an agenda from the first meeting:
1) Station History
Built in 1873
Declared a Grade 1 listed building in Dec 1963
Close ties since 1938 with RAF Padgate
3000 RAF movements per week before & during the War
Supposedly haunted
Important commuter station between Liverpool & Manchester
2) Involvement of LRA
Initially targeted for litter picks as it was in such a rundown & dirty state
Planters were installed by LRA, one of which “disappeared” immediately
Suffers from vandalism and a litter problem
LRA contacted & met up with rail authorities (Northern Rail) to discuss the state of the station
It was agreed that it was the worst kept station on the whole line
As a result the station has been painted
Electronic information signs & announcement equipment has been installed & fully working
New “Waste Bins” have been installed
Trees are being cleared & the car park is being “Re Lined”
The Franchise for the line changes from tomorrow so negotiations will have to begin again with Arriva !!
3) Aims
To form the FOPS
To agree on a Constitution
To form a committee
To manage any funding
To raise money to completely restore the Station and bring back pride in it as a community asset, to follow the prime example of Irlam Station
To build partnerships going forward
Improve our general environment & regeneration in Longbarn
To include an office for LRA administration within the station
To install a cafe/coffee shop/waiting room etc.,
4) Where we are at the moment
We have had initial meetings at Warrington Library, Livewire, Padgate Library & The persons responsible for the re vamp & backing of Irlam Station at a cost of £1.5M, including the Harrison Davies Trust & their Chairman Dr Neil McArthur MBE
Meetings are arranged to attend The Fearnhead Community Centre Management Committee (have contacts with possible funders)
We will use RAF Padgate & its history & famous attendees & close ties with the station to help us going forward as a community project
The last train station under the durastiction of Manchester transport is Glazebrook & for Liverpool Transport we are not in their catchment area.
5) Possible Partnerships
WBC transport Officer – Peter Brunskill
Parish councils
Network Rail
Northern Rail / Arriva (have strong community policy)
Hamilton Davies Trust
Trans Pennine Express
Salford City Council
Transport for Greater Manchester
Mersey Rail
Lottery funding
6) Going Forward
The Station is in a dangerous condition inside the building we aim to
Find ways of renovating it to safety and to be a useable building
It would be ideal to get a franchise of a coffee /cafe, bar open every day
We need to convince numerous authorities of the importance of this commuter station, although our case has been watered down by all trains stopping at Birchwood, against one per hour at Padgate
The footfall of the station has increased by 233% in the last 10 years, 54,685 in 2004/5 to 127,552 in 2014/15
We need to carry out a survey of the travel direction of persons from Padgate in order for us to approach either Liverpool & Manchester; I will arrange this in the immediate future
Car parking is a must for any commuter station as it keeps cars out of the city centres, very important now with policies on pollution going forward.
At the station there is room for 25-27 cars (not interfering with the chipper) spaces
The community centre car park can accommodate a further 50 spaces without interfering with the doctor spaces or the cottages.
This has the impact of keeping cars out of the city