We designed and built the new award-winning station to provide rail travellers with new facilities and improved connectivity across the Northwest of England.
Awarded via the SCAPE Civil Engineering framework and completed in 2019, Warrington West train station serves the whole Warrington West area and is a key transport link to the Omega development and Chapelford Urban Village housing estate in Great Sankey, Warrington.
With a high percentage of work-related journeys taken by car, during peak times, the roads in the area were extremely congested. This not only increased the amount of fuel wasted but also contributed to the levels of air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.
The new station was designed to encourage a larger proportion of journeys to be made by rail so easy access on foot and by bicycle, bus and car were all key. The traditional ‘aircraft hangar’ design was just one of the features of the new station which also included:
- A staffed station to improve customer service and promote safety and security
- Sheltered ticket purchasing areas and toilet facilities
- A secure pay and display car park with CCTV and lighting that accommodates 350 vehicles including disabled access spaces
- Bus stops, taxi rank and drop off zones, as well as safe, secure and convenient cycle parking
- Platforms with a new prefabricated overbridge, lift and stair access
- On platform shelters and customer information displays
Considerate Constructors Scheme score
local labour
students engaged through curriculum-based activities
Carbon reduction
To support Warrington Borough Council’s carbon reduction goals, the project was designed to not only reduce congestion on local roads but include several energy and resource efficient products:
- Energy saving lights on all platforms
- Public address system that included ambient noise sensors that limited output to 10 decibels above ground level
- Solar powered parking ticket machines
- A drainage attenuation system located under the platforms to control run-off without creating additional drainage to the track system
Recognising the role of the station in reducing carbon emissions and the quality of the construction, the project won both the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation North West Large Project of the Year and the Institution of Civil Engineers Large Project awards.
Savings through value engineering
During the early contractor involvement process, collaborative engineering workshops identified approximately £2 million of savings, including:
- £660,000 by the relocation of the station building to avoid the need to divert a high-pressure water main and medium pressure gas main
- £500,000 by transferring telecoms, power and signal cable diversion and renewal works to Network Rail
- £50,000 on a revised design and erection solution
A link to the world
With four trains an hour departing from the new station heading towards Liverpool, Warrington central and Manchester, including Manchester airport, the station improves transport links to the area and provides a key link to the rest of the world.
With a growing population and employment base, Warrington’s six train stations have seen a steady rise in passenger numbers. This is credited to improved accessibility to the stations.