Friday, June 01, 2018

Turning Leicester station around


Some years ago an ambitious plan was floated to turn Leicester station around. Rather than disgorge passengers straight on the busy London Road, it envisaged directing them into the city via its new Cultural Quarter.

That plan came to nothing, but this week a more modest version of it resurfaced.

Gone is the proposal to demolish two tower blocks near the station, but there would still need to be significant road works for the scheme to make things better for pedestrians.

Certainly, pedestrian and taxi access to the station is currently poor, even though money has recently been spent on improving it.

Besides making access to the station easier, the great attraction of the scheme is that it would free the covered space at the front for shops and restaurants.

It would also be pleasing from a historical point of view as it would return the main station entrance to Station Street, where it used to be. Today it is very much a back way in.

The stone pillars there are all that is left of the city's first station, Campbell Street.

Last Saturday, before I braved Darker Street, I took some photos of Leicester station, but I don't suppose anything will change soon.









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