Northallerton Station Parking Plans Discussed as Spaces Come Under Pressure

Northallerton Station Could Get More Parking After Talks

Northallerton Station Parking Plans Discussed as Pressure on Spaces Grows Plans to increase parking at Northallerton railway station have been discussed after growing pressure on the number of spaces available for passengers. Representatives from TransPennine Express, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and North Yorkshire Council met to consider possible ways of increasing parking capacity at the station. The meeting was convened by Richmond and Northallerton MP Rishi Sunak and was also attended by North Yorkshire councillors Peter Wilkinson and Caroline Dickinson. Former Arla car park closure adds to pressure Parking has been a longstanding issue at Northallerton station, which serves passengers from the town as well as a much wider rural area. The situation has become more difficult since the nearby former Arla car park closed in February. The site had previously provided additional parking for people travelling by rail. According to the report, the loss of those spaces has also resulted in vehicles being displaced into Romanby, adding to concerns about parking in surrounding areas. Cllr Peter Wilkinson said the closure had caused “significant problems” and said a multi-agency group was looking at possible solutions, including additional spaces at the station's long-stay car park. Extra station parking proposal being considered TransPennine Express, which manages the station car park, has developed proposals that could increase the amount of parking available. However, the main obstacle is currently finding the funding needed to deliver any scheme. The latest meeting gave the organisations involved an opportunity to discuss the proposals, potential funding and possible ways of moving the project forward. No final parking expansion scheme has been confirmed at this stage. Rishi Sunak said the parking problem had been raised with him by passengers and local residents. He said the next challenge was establishing how additional capacity could be delivered and funded. The issue has also been raised in his response to the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire's local transport consultation, while he has written to the Transport Secretary about station parking capacity. Cllr Caroline Dickinson said Northallerton station was used by people from a much wider area than the town itself and said extra provision was needed to accommodate rail users. For drivers who regularly leave their cars at the station, any increase in capacity could make it easier to combine driving with rail travel. Until a scheme is confirmed, however, motorists still need to plan around the existing availability of station parking. For commuters travelling from rural areas, finding a suitable parking space before arriving at a busy railway station can also be an important part of planning a journey. Services such as EveryonesParking can help drivers look for available parking options in advance, particularly when convenient spaces close to their destination are limited. The latest talks represent a step towards finding a longer-term solution, but funding and the details of any additional parking remain to be resolved.