This year, Warwickshire County Council is joining the wider rail industry in its celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary since passengers were carried for the first time...
on the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the modern railway was born.
In a double celebration, May 19th also marks the 12th anniversary of the opening of Stratford Parkway Station.
The station reopened ahead of schedule on 19th May 2013 on a site at Bishopton to the north of Stratford-upon-Avon, close to the A46 trunk road. The station shares its site with the Stratford Park and Ride facility.
The total cost of the station was £6.9m, with £5m being provided by the Department for Transport from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) and a £1.8m contribution from the County Council.
The station is currently served by West Midlands Trains services between Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham and Worcester/Kidderminster, and Chiltern Railways services between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa.
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.
Mark Ryder, Executive Director for Communities at Warwickshire County Council, 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. 2023/24 saw it increase to 88,666 passengers.
Warwickshire County Council 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.
More information about the Railway 200 celebrations can be found at: https://railway200.co.uk/
