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Ricoh train station gets green light

Buy photos » The Ricoh Arena train station is set to built by May 2014, following today's announcement. 21.09.055.cov.jm4

THE Ricoh Arena will be getting its own train station, it was finally announced this morning (Wednesday).

Six-and-a-half years after the site's unveiling, transport secretary Justine Greening confirmed the long-awaited project would go ahead as part of a multi-million pound government project to get the economy moving.

A planning application for the station will be submitted in January, with work set to begin late next year and the station opening in May 2014.

Costing over £19 million, the NUCKLE project will see a station at the Ricoh along with improved rail links with Nuneaton and a new platform at Coventry station.

Two-carriage trains will run between Nuneaton and the city every 30 minutes while on match or major event days, the Ricoh will see a service from Coventry every 15 minutes.

Bermuda Park, in Nuneaton, will have its own station and Bedworth will also have an upgraded platform.

The news has been roundly welcomed by key figures in Coventry, who said the upgrades would help bring much-needed jobs to the city.

It comes after debate over a station at the Ricoh kicked off ever since it opened in August 2005.

The Observer even ran a campaign for a station two years later in response to disgruntled fans of Rod Stewart who had difficulty travelling to and from the city venue.

All three city MPs have pushed for the move in the past - including during a Westminster Hall debate on the West Midlands economy just yesterday (Tuesday).

Coventry City Council helped submit a detailed bid to government transport chiefs for the upgrade earlier this year.

Council leader John Mutton said: "This means we can at last get on and provide the kind of sensible rail link that we and local residents have been calling for a long time.

"We are one of the best connected areas in the country and this can only improve things. It will help us to create new jobs and attract new business too – which is great news."

He added the scheme would also make a 'fantastic connection' with the Friargate development, which could create up to 15,000 new jobs.