The vision for Maidenhead Station was to provide a transport hub that catered for the delivery of the Elizabeth Line and the increase in passenger numbers. The increase is from 4.5 million to in excess of 5.5 million when the line opens. 38% of passengers use a car to get to the station, which if maintained would bring Maidenhead to a standstill. Working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) our solution enhanced sustainable modes. This included the enhancement of walking, cycling and bus services.
The proposed works ensured that the station forecourt was able to cope with the increased numbers and movements. The design also facilitate a shift away from private car use to walking, cycling and public transport so that the surrounding highway network could cope with the expected increase in user trips.
What we did to develop a transport hub
RBWM commissioned us to deliver the Business Case for the scheme. We’ve had to identify the total funding required and demonstrate that the scheme was economically viable as well.
This included three stages:
- project management of the design process, focusing on stakeholder management with Network Rail and Great Western Railway
- detailed design of the scheme, including highways and Network Rail works
- site supervision for construction, including cost management
The scheme brought together the expertise of Project Centre’s Traffic and DesignWorks Teams. We delivering a functional space that provides sustainable transport needs within a landscaped design that is sympathetic to the history of the area.
To help encourage sustainable transport, there will be a doubling of secure cycle parking, with over 300 cycle stands being provided, a new bus stop linking rail passengers to the local network and a pedestrian plaza with widened footways leading to the town centre across a simplified junction. In addition of disabled parking capacity, we’ll also include a taxi rank and set-down and pick-up facilities will be provided on the forecourt. Long term parking will be re-provided further away from the station in a multi-storey car park to account for those who are unable to switch methods of commuting and prevent parking displacement.
By all means, we carried out a third-party Economic Assessment as part of the Business Case delivery. This included the identification of the rate of return of the scheme.
The Business Case was approved in November 2017 and the project was completed in March 2020. The highway works are currently being completed and works on the station forecourt started January 2021.
