A multi-million-pound project to transform the area outside Stoke-on-Trent Station will begin later this month.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced that work on the masterplan to transform the city’s gateway to businesses, residents and visitors and encourage further investment along the key corridor will begin on 20 May and run through until Autumn 2025.
The scheme, which gained planning approval in February, will include the introduction of a bus gate on Station Road, changes to car parks and drop off facilities, a new bus lane and public realm and street furniture improvements.
The historic Josiah Wedgwood statue, which currently stands on Winton Square, will be moved to the front of the station entrance.
Anyone travelling to or from the station during the works period – which will include a full road closure for six weeks – has been advised to plan extra time for their journey.
The work will be carried out in three stages, with the first two running until Spring 2025.
During these stages, there will be a one lane closure and one-way traffic from Stoke Road to the junction of Leek Road.
Long stay parking will be at Car Park 1, next to Royal Mail’s sorting office, until October and Car Park 3, at the back of the station, throughout the works.
Short stay parking will be in Car Park 1 until October and then in Car Park 2, at the north end of platform 1.
Drop-off and pick-up at Winton Square will remain.
Bus stops will be located outside Federation House for passengers travelling south and a temporary bus stop will be situated on Leek Road, outside the sorting office entrance, for passengers travelling north towards the city centre.
There will be a temporary taxi rank outside Federation House until October.
A full road closure in front of the station entrance, between the current location of the Wedgwood statue and the sorting office, will run from 27 June for six weeks.
Businesses will remain open as usual, and vehicles will still be able to access the car parks.
In the third phase of work, 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 the same as during the other closure.
Councillor Chris Robinson, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning, 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 Station Road redevelopment is the next stage of the £29m Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).
Similar improvement work is also taking place on nearby College Road, with that set to be completed in Spring 2025, around the time the Goods Yard development with new homes, workspaces, food and drink venues and shops is due to open next to the station.
More information on the council’s TCF programme and temporary traffic management can be found here.
