Park and ride extension plan is Centro 'priority'

Detailed £4 million plans are being drawn up to double the size of an over-subscribed park and ride at a train station in the West Midlands – with transport bosses announcing work is expected to start next year.

Passenger transport authority Centro has appointed a consultant to draw up extension plans to create 480 new spaces at Rowley Regis train station. The proposals had been put on hold due to a lack of funding but Centro now says the project is a "priority".

Centro says it has bought land off Station Road and bosses said they expected work to start in 2013 once the proposals have gone through the planning process.

Centro spokesman Steve Swingler said: "It's a priority project for us. We have appointed a consultant and are drawing up detailed plans for the extension.

"We plan to start work in 2013 with the scheme scheduled to be done by April 2013."

Work at the station was due to start this financial year but was hit by cuts. Alongside those plans was a £1.2m extension of the Wednesbury Parkway Midland Metro stop, which would add 128 spaces on top of the 142 already in place.

Passengers had also hoped for more parking at Tame Bridge Parkway Midland Metro stop. All three station car parks are regularly full with passengers forced to park on the pavement.

Mr Swingler also said proposals for Wednesbury Parkway or Tame Bridge Pthat there are "no plans drawn up for either station at the moment."