| East Midlands Parkway | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Place | Ratcliffe-on-Soar |
| Local authority | Nottinghamshire |
| Operations | |
| Station code | EMD |
| Managed by | East Midlands Trains |
| Number of platforms | 4 |
| Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries |
|
| Annual rail passenger usage | |
| 2008/09 * | 33,848 |
| 2009/10 * | 182,412 |
| History | |
| 2007 | Construction commences |
| 26 January 2009 | Opened |
| National Rail - UK railway stations | |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at East Midlands Parkway from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year. | |
East Midlands Parkway is a railway station located north of Ratcliffe-on-Soar on the Midland Main Line in the East Midlands of England. It provides park and ride facilities for rail passengers on the routes from Leicester to Derby and Nottingham. It is also the closest station to East Midlands Airport, some four miles away.
The site of the station is in southwest Nottinghamshire, about 500 metres (0.3 mi) from the border with Leicestershire and 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) from that with Derbyshire, between the existing stations at Loughborough, Long Eaton and Attenborough. The initial shuttle bus service linking the station and the airport has ceased, but it is possible to take a taxi at a reduced fare providing the booking is made at least 12 hours in advance.[1] The main station building and the 850 vehicle car park are to the west of the line, opposite Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station. Road access is via the A453, which provides a link to the nearby (three minute drive) M1 motorway.
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Building work commenced on the new £25.5m station on 19 December 2007, and was due to be completed by 14 December 2008, but the station finally opened on 26 January 2009.[2]
The TOC (Train Operating Company) Midland Mainline was, until October 2006, responsible for the project, which was in the planning stages for several years due to a small piece of land needed for the project. The responsibility then transferred to Network Rail which anticipated expenditure of £5m in 2006/07 and £8m in 2007/08.[3]
In its first year of operation the station was used by over 250,000 passengers.[4]
The construction of the station has been controversial; Midland Mainline sought Transport and Works Act (T&WA) powers to compulsorily purchase the land for the station.[5] However, private agreements with the relevant landowners were agreed for the land required and the compulsory purchase order powers not utilised in this way. Objections against the station were received during the planning and T&WA process from E.ON UK (the owners of some of the land), Friends of the Earth, Nottinghamshire County Council, and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.[6]
Concerns from the people of the nearby towns notably Loughborough were raised that the opening of the station could lead to the reduction in the number of trains stopping there, although this was denied by former operator Midland Mainline. Another concern was the possible withdrawal of the existing bus service from Loughborough station to the airport, however this service is still operating extending from Loughborough to Leicester.
Since 25 April 2010, this service has not served Loughborough railway station;[7] the effect being that there are now no direct late night or early hour bus services between the railway station and town centre, with a limited [forty-minute frequency] service operating on Sundays.
To mark the first year of operation of the station, East Midlands Trains offered unlimited travel from the station for the day on Saturday 30 January 2010 under the promotional 'Red Dot Day' banner.[8] The 850 space car park was full for the first time since the station opened and 2,787 passengers travelled.[9]
East Midlands Parkway is a staffed, four-platform station with a ticket office. The ticket office is open between 06:00–19:30 Mondays to Saturdays, and between 07:30–19:30 on Sundays. Other facilities include:
East Midlands Parkway is one of the greenest stations built in the United Kingdom. It uses a ground-source heating system was built using locally-sourced and recycled materials.[10]
As of late 2009 East Midlands Parkway is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.
Fears have been raised by various bodies, notably East Midlands Airport, about the service pattern proposed for the new station.[11]
Donington Park motor racing circuit is close by and the owners have expressed their desire for spectators to use the station and coaches to the circuit.[12][13] The owners are also in support of any future light rail transport to East Midlands Airport itself.
All trains serving the station are operated by EMT using InterCity 125 (HST), Class 222 Meridian, or sprinters (classes 153/156/158) rolling stock. The current service pattern from London sees two trains per hour, both leaving within 7 minutes of each other.[14]
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands Trains | ||||
| East Midlands Trains | ||||
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Limited Service
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| East Midlands Trains
Nottingham-Norwich (via Loughborough)
Limited Service
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| East Midlands Trains
Limited Service
|
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From 30 March 2009, the station has been used as an interchange station for combined multi-modal journeys Megabus-branded services run by Stagecoach (the operators of both East Midlands Trains and of Megabus). The MegabusPlus services transport passengers from cities in the north of England to East Midlands Parkway, where passengers transfer to rail for the service to London.[15]
Routes operated under the MegabusPlus brand are to/from: