UK: Warwickshire County Council is seeking to understand market appetite for financing a portfolio of new railway stations, starting with the proposed Rugby Parkway.
The council said the scheme to develop the Parkway station 5 km southeast of Rugby on the Northampton Loop of the West Coast Main Line had progressed to a relatively advanced stage. The land has been acquired, outline planning consent granted, outline design accepted by Network Rail and Network Change complete, and the scheme is at the point at which it can be taken forward into delivery by a private investor or developer.
The project aims to ease congestion on the road network around Rugby station by providing a second access point to the rail network for residents and businesses. There would be access from the A428 Crick Road, parking for up to 325 vehicles, secure cycle stands, two platforms with step free access, shelters and seating, passenger drop off/pick up facilities and a bus stop.
Private partner
The private partner would be expected to fund, deliver and maintain the new station under a long-term concession of around 30 years, using a mix of investor capital and commercial bank debt.
The council ‘understands there will be certain risks that will need to be shared in order to obtain the optimum financing structure’. It has begun market engagement to test the appetite of infrastructure investors, developers, contractors and lenders to participate in such an opportunity, and to inform its decision-making on the most appropriate commercial and procurement approach.
The deadline to participate the market testing programme is December 15 2025. The council’s ambition is for construction to begin in 2027 for opening in 2029.
The council said multiple local authorities are looking at new stations as a means of unlocking social and economic benefits.
