Plans submitted for 112-space car park at Manea station

If given the go-ahead, a paddock on land north of Manea station will become a car park which will be accessed from Fodder Fen Road.

The application form also mentions a footpath link leading to the platform and landscaping.

A car park at Manea station was among a number of improvements Fenland District Council put forward in its masterplan for the district’s stations.

The council was awarded £9.5m from the Combined Authority and can tap into other funds to carry out the works, which include creating new station car parks, providing waiting shelters, building improvements and platform extensions.

The masterplan for Manea shows a car park south of the station, whereas the planning application validated on May 20 is for land to the north.

It has been submitted by Wendy Otter, Fenland District Council’s Transport Development Manager.

On the paperwork, MR Wales, of Station Road, Manea, is declared as the current owner of the land which would be used for the car park.

The application also states lighting and boundary fencing are to be clarified on the planning conditions. Both of these areas have already been raised by Cambridgeshire Constabulary, which has been consulted about the plans.

A car park for Manea station has been discussed for many years.

In 2016, the Hereward Community Rail Partnership (HCRP) explained that progress had been slowed at the time “by some very complex issues.”

At the time, Simon King, who was then HCRP chairman, said: “We appreciate the great support we have had from the local community, which was a key factor in securing a more frequent rail service from Manea.

“That initial success naturally increased expectations that other improvements would follow soon after, including the car park.

“Various factors have combined to hold things up and we recognise that is very frustrating. There are some very complex issues that need to be resolved.”

Belinda Pedler, Senior Transport Officer at Fenland District Council, said: “Delivering a new car park at Manea Station is one of a number of improvements outlined in Fenland District Council’s Railway Station Masterplans. These high level masterplans show the future improvements needed for all of Fenland’s stations and thanks to the £9.5 million Combined Authority-funded Fenland Stations Regeneration Project we are now seeing these delivered.

“At Manea the original site for a station car park proved unsuitable due to highway and level crossing safety issues. Through hard work and support from the Fenland Stations Regeneration Project Board it is great news that a new site has been identified and a planning application has been submitted.”

She added: “The Fenland Stations Regeneration Project plan shows the station car park will be completed by 2021 which will make a huge difference to the village and rail users.

“Station accessibility and encouraging rail travel are key priorities for the Council, the Combined Authority and the Hereward Community Rail Partnership and we are very proud of this work at Manea Station.”

HCRP was invited to comment on the car park plans for Manea.

• The HCRP has launched a new website at www.herewardcrp.org to promote the Hereward Line between Ely and Peterborough and its railway stations at Manea, March and Whittlesea. The website offers visitors a chance to ‘explore the line’, and includes nearby attractions, activities and places to stay when it is safe to travel again.