Cllr Kevin Foster, Deputy Leader of Coventry Conservatives, has welcomed a statement by the Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond MP, which has given real hope that the long running fight for a station at the Ricoh Arena will soon be over.
In the statement, posted on the Department for Transport website, it is confirmed that 23 schemes, including the Coventry - Nuneaton Rail Upgrade, are being promoted to the Development Pool. These schemes will now be able to bid for a share of a funding pot worth £630m in total.
Kevin has been supporting the plans to upgrade the Coventry to Nuneaton line, including a new Station at the Ricoh Arena, for some years, due to the vital need to improve Coventry's rail infrastructure as part of developing our economy.
Commenting on this latest news Cllr Foster said: "I am delighted to hear that the upgrade of the Coventry to Nuneaton line, which includes a new Station at the Ricoh Arena, has made further progress. In the past the constant moving of goalposts, and a reluctance of the previous Government to fully back it, have seen this project delayed time and again. This latest news shows a clear sign of commitment from the coalition government to delivering this project and getting the station we need at the Ricoh built."
He added: "It is ironic to note that building a small station in the 21st Century has taken longer than building the main line from London to Coventry did in the 19th Century. Local rail schemes are vital to our development and I hope the Government will look back at what has happened over the last 9 years to see how this process can be streamlined."