Question marks still hang over future of Cottam Parkway station

An artists' impressions of the proposed Cottam Brickworks development, which the Cottam Parkway railway station would serve

As part of the original Preston Local Plan - detailing how the city council sees the city growing during the next decades - the Cottam Parkway railway station was proposed to serve existing and new developments in the Lea area.

The initial plan was to locate it on the Preston to Blackpool section of the Manchester to Preston Line, near to the former Lea Road railway station.

Early discussions proposed for it to have two platforms on the existing double tracked line.

However, when city leaders agreed to adopt the Preston Local Plan in July 2015, it was revealed the railway plans had been put on hold and not included within the amended blueprint for the city.

When will it happen?

Still unknown. Preston Council say the provision of a new station is in the hands of Network Rail working with Lancashire County Council (LCC) .

A Preston Council spokesman said: “Although not policy in the local plan, the plan makes a reference to a new railway station in the Cottam area to serve new development and act as a Park and Ride station similar to Buckshaw Parkway. The provision of this would be enabled by the Preston Western Distributor road to be built by LCC.”

What happens now?

Preliminary work to establish viability is taking place and talks are progressing between Network Rail and Lancashire County Council.

Phill Wilson, project manager for the City Deal infrastructure delivery team at LCC, said: “The plans for a possible railway station in Cottam are still at a very early stage.

“We’re currently carrying out preliminary work to look at the viability of the scheme. The results of this work will shape what could happen next for this project.”

A Network Rail spokeman said: “Network Rail is continuing to work in collaboration with Lancashire County Council to understand the feasibility of the Cottam Parkway station proposals.”