STRATFORD Parkway Station has notched up 12 years of travel.
The station opened on May 19 2013 at Bishopton to the north of Stratford and shares its site with Stratford Park and Ride.
In a double celebration, May 19 marks the 200th anniversary since passengers were carried for the first time on the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the modern railway was born.
The total cost of the Stratford Parkway Station was £6.9million, with £5million being provided by the Department for Transport from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) and a £1.8million contribution from Warwickshire County Council.
The station is currently served by West Midlands Trains services between Stratford, Birmingham and Worcester/Kidderminster, and Chiltern Railways services between Stratford and Leamington.
The location of the station close to the A46 provides good access from the Strategic Road Network, allowing drivers to switch from car to rail for part of their journey.
WCC’s communities spokesperson Mark Ryder said: “The anniversary of the opening of Stratford Parkway station is a good chance to take stock of this council’s commitment to investing in and facilitating more rail travel. The Railway 200 celebration is another reason to celebrate the work we have done at making our towns available to rail travellers.
“Stratford Parkway is conveniently situated adjacent to the site of the bus-based park and ride.
The station offers convenient access for passing motorists and residents in the Bishopton area of town who can access direct services to Birmingham, Solihull and a range of other destinations across the Midlands. User figures have been steadily climbing in the years since the pandemic and the station continues to play a major role in the local economy.”
Footfall at the station has been recovering since the low of 202/21 when it dipped to 13,696 during the Covid lockdown. This increased in 2023/24 to 88,666 passengers.
WCC has been involved in the opening of five stations in the privatised rail era – Warwick Parkway, Coleshill Parkway, Stratford Parkway, Bermuda Park and Kenilworth. Plans are at an advanced stage for a new station to the east of Rugby near Houlton called Rugby Parkway.
Visit railway200.co.uk/ for more information about the Railway 200 celebrations.
