Eyesore land in Chatham town centre will be transformed into a £1.1 million purpose-built hub providing secure cycle parking closer to the railway station. The proposals will see 280 cycle spaces created for city bikes to cargo bikes and include a 'swipe card' entry system, electric bike charging points, a bike repair stand with tools, bike pump and additional CCTV. Currently empty and overgrown, a parcel of land behind the advertising hoardings in Railway Street will house the 'modern and attractive' single-storey cycle hub, which will have timber panelling facing the street and large glazing facing the Wickes car park. With cycle parking more than 50m from the front of Chatham's station, the hub complements 13.6km of new cycle routes across the Medway area to enable safer travel for cyclists. The scheme is a joint project between Network Rail and Southeastern, and is being developed in partnership with Medway Council and UK charity Sustrans. The Department for Transport (DfT) set aside a £800,000 grant to fund the new £1.1 million Cycle Hub as part of the government-led 'Cycle Rail Programme'. The remainder is being match funded by Medway Council. The Cycle Rail Programme has already improved access to the UK's railway stations for cyclists through a number of initiatives, including cycle hire schemes and extended footways, allowing commuters to make their daily journeys to work as connected and sustainable as possible. The latest plans for Chatham Railway Station comes a year after the completion of the station's £1.4 million upgrade.
The improvements included resurfaced footways and a remodelled station forecourt to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment and a better first impression for commuters visiting Chatham. Chatham Railway Station is also set to benefit from further accessibility improvements as part of the DfT's 'Access for All' programme in the near future. It is hoped that lifts will be installed at the station to improve access for disabled and less mobile commuters. These works are expected to be completed by March 2024. You can have your say on the Cycle Hub plans by submitting a comment on the Medway Planning Portal website. Photos: Lockit-safe and Google Maps Comments are closed.
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August 2023
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