City’s gateway set for transformational works at Station Road

Major works to transform Station Road, outside Stoke-on-Trent’s main line railway station, are set to start after a period of detailed planning.

The Station Road improvements will create an exciting and safer public realm to greet people as they arrive into and depart from the city. In addition to benefitting pedestrians, the scheme will make it safer and more pleasant for people to cycle between Stoke train station and the city centre.

The Josiah Wedgwood statue will greet visitors in a new prominent position, outside the station entrance, as a symbol of the city’s great heritage.

The planned bus gate will significantly cut unnecessary through traffic from the station environment, with additional and new provision for vehicles and taxi’s to drop-off and park. Public transport will also be enhanced, both with a dedicated bus lane and new bus shelters, giving more priority and strengthening links between the station and city centre.

It’s all part of a multi-million pound masterplan to transform the city’s gateway to make it more appealing to businesses, residents and visitors and to encourage further investment along this key corridor.

Work on the new public realm, enhancing our heritage buildings, including the station, is set to go ahead from May 20, 2024.

Councillor Chris Robinson, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The station gateway area will be transformed; creating a much nicer environment, easier access to the station and an attractive route to the city centre to encourage walking and cycling.

“This will complement the new Goods Yard neighbourhood and improvement work to the railway station. To achieve this, there will inevitably be disruption on this busy route. We ask people for their patience whist work is underway to improve the area for residents, businesses, commuters, visitors and thousands of students.”

 The works

Undertaking the work to improve this major access road will inevitably cause some disruption.

Pedestrian access to the station entrance and businesses will be maintained throughout all the works. However, if travelling from Stoke-on-Trent by rail at this time, we advise that you allow additional time to get to the station for onward travel.

Site investigations along Station Road have revealed an underground culvert and complex utilities infrastructure in the Winton Square area. This will need to be accommodated as part of the highway improvement works and it will be necessary to fully close a section of Station Road for up to six weeks from 27 June 2024.

The section of the road closure will be between the Josiah Wedgwood statue and the Royal Mail access. Traffic management and diversions will be in place with access maintained for the North Staffordshire Hotel and the Royal Mail Sorting Office.

The taxi rank will remain outside Federation House, and Car Parks 1 and 2 will be open for drop-off and short stay as well as Car Park 3 at the rear of the station. Buses and cars will be diverted around the works using either Leek Road or Stoke Road which will be clearly signposted, additional diversions for high sided vehicles will be signposted separately. Outside the full closure, phase 1 will continue with one-way traffic from Stoke Road to the junction of Leek Road with signage to direct road users and pedestrians.

 Laura Warwick, Avanti West Coast Station Manager at Stoke-on-Trent, said:

“The station’s main entrance will be open to use as normal during the works and members of the public can still pick-up or drop-off anyone at Winton Square while the first two phases of the works take place until Spring 2025. The only exception is the six-week full road closure from 27 June 2024 when people will need to be dropped off or picked up at the car parks. However, if you’re planning to leave your car at the station for the day or longer, you should do this at the rear of the building, where 166 new parking spaces will be available next to Car Park 3.

“We strongly advise if you’re travelling to or from Stoke during this period, you check the local authority website for the latest updates and allow extra time for your journey to the station.”

Traffic management summary

Phases 1 and 2 between 20 May 2024 and Spring 2025:

One lane closure and one-way traffic from Stoke Road to the junction of Leek Road from 20 May 2024 to Spring 2025 (with exception of six weeks full closure – see below)

• Drop-off and pick-up at Winton Square will remain available.
• Long stay parking will be at Car Park 1, next to the Royal Mail sorting office until October 2024 and at Car Park 3, at the back of the station, throughout the works.
• Short stay parking will be in Car Park 1, next to the Royal Mail sorting office, until October 2024 then in Car Park 2 at the north end of platform 1.
• Disabled parking will be in Car Park 1, next to the Royal Mail sorting office, until October 2024 then in Car Park, 2 at the north end of platform 1.
• Bus stops will be located outside Federation House for passengers travelling south and a temporary bus stop will be situated on Leek Rd, outside the entrance of the Royal Mail sorting office, for passengers travelling north towards the city centre.
• Taxi rank – Until October 2024 there’ll be a temporary taxi rank outside Federation House.
• The footways will be maintained on the opposite side of the work areas with the crossing point at Winton Square. When works start in front of the station entrance, passengers will be directed to the new crossing locations either side of Winton Square.

Full road closure – in phase 1 from 27 June 2024 for six weeks

• There will be a full road closure in front to the station entrance, between the Wedgwood statue (current location) and the Royal Mail Sorting Office from 27 June 2024 for period of six weeks.
• A temporary crossing point will be installed to enter and exit the station front.
• The taxi rank will remain outside Federation House.
• Vehicles will be able to access Car park 1 and 2 from either end of Station Rd for drop-off and short stay as well as Car Park 3 at the rear of the station.
• Businesses will remain open as usual.
• Buses and through traffic will be prohibited to use Station Road because there will be no location to turn around. The Existing bus shelters on Stoke Rd will be in use and the new temporary bus stop on Leek Rd. Single layer buses will travel south along Stoke Road, and because of the low bridge restriction, the double decker buses will travel north up Hanely along Leek Road.

Phase 3 – from Spring 2025 to Autumn 2025

From Spring 2025 to Autumn 2025 drop-off, pick-up and disabled parking will be in Car Park 1 with short stay parking in Car Park 1 and 2 and long-stay in Car Park 3. Six weekend full closures, to complete Tegola paving in Winton Square, will be required with the traffic management arrangements as explained above.

The work to Station Road is expected to be completed by Autumn 2025 and College Road by Spring 2025. With Goods Yard neighbourhood scheduled for completion by Spring 2025, the positive impact to the area will be dramatic – for an attractive, welcoming and connected city.

Station Road redevelopment is the next stage of the £29m Transforming Cities Fund programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).

More information on the council’s TCF Programme and temporary traffic management can be found on Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) | | Stoke-on-Trent.