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Report highlights economic value of railway stations

By Mark Mansfield
A GWR (Great Western Railway) train. Photo Andrew Matthews PA Wire/PA Images

Railway stations could help to unlock one million jobs and deliver £79 billion in economic value by 2036, new research suggests.

A report by economic research consultancy Development Economics said stations were “anchors for growth”.

Commissioned by Great Western Railway (GWR), the study analysed 11 locations on the operator’s network - looking at how development around railway stations supports new homes, businesses and skilled jobs.

Over the next decade, construction activity near regional stations is expected to contribute £7.1 billion, providing a boost to jobs, businesses and supply chains, said the report.

Mark Hopwood, managing director of GWR, said: “The findings of this report are clear: the railway, its stations, and the trains that serve them are powerful drivers of economic growth, community prosperity and regeneration.

“Across our network, development around the railway is delivering thousands of homes, new commercial space and thousands of jobs, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in economic value for the communities we serve.

“I’m pleased to see the railway recognised as a key part of the Government’s plans to support the continued growth of towns and cities across the country.”

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7 comments

Andy W

Well done to GWR telling everybody what is published https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/infrastructure-and-investment/trans-european-transport-network-ten-t_en and has been followed by Europe for decades. The challenge is for local authority planners to look at regional development. For example, no new offices built in Cardiff until the empty buildings near Newport Station are refurbished as flats / offices. Maybe Cardiff Capital Region should only have one planning team based in Caerphilly to take a view of whole region and NOT desires of Cardiffs politicians!

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Hywel

Does this support re-opening the Carmarthen - Aberystwyth line then? If new stations were opened along the route, surely "anchors for growth" could also be found there?

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Andy W

West Wales needs line speed improvements as well as the missing Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line reopening. TfW is not looking at whole of Wales. If that line reopened then someone in Cardiff could visit Aberystwyth for a business / leisure trip and vice-versa. If I have followed the economy correctly; M4 not widened next to Celtic Manor hotel is encouraging more use of Train network / Cardiff Airport and Celtic Manors parent organisation is expanding in Pembrokeshire. Welsh Government has a JV with Celtic Collection at ICC. To make that line reopen, the Welsh Govt could fund and at the same time the Celtic Collection buy some of the empty properties in Machynlleth for rent with reduced taxes for ten years - then Powys economy benefits from year round tourism / business travellers.

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Brychan

The Scottish Government passed the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Act 2006 which paved the way for the re-opening of the 'Borders Line' from Edinburgh to Tweedbank and the towns in between. Opened in 2015. It was anticipated to carry 650k passengers per year but has far exceeded that, now carrying 1.5million per year. Has transformed the Borders economy.

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Brychan

If there so much economic benefit, why did the UK government cancel the electrification of the GWR route west to Swansea?

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Andy W

Electrification is very expensive and reduces energy demands in long-term, but also is disruptive as work can lead to years of delays / bus diversions during key travel periods such as school holidays. If that happened in Swansea, Pembrokeshire entire economy could collapse as extra cars would fill roads and reduce tourism and imports / exports to Ireland. Scotland has not complained about no high speed rail or electrification / kept stopping projects for cost cutting drives - result is a stronger economy https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/14243/edinburgh-s-economy-outperforms-london-s Swansea needs well-paid roles based in Swansea and expanding University - which is what has happened.

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Brychan

The Glasgow to Edinburgh, via Falkirk, was electrified in the 2010s.

Reply

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