Project Updates
July 2023. We are pleased to announce that the improvements to Weymouth Train Station forecourt, car park and pocket park were Highly Commended for the Transportation Project of the Year award at the Charted institute of Highways and Transportation southwest awards. In addition, the project has been nominated for an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Southwest Civil Engineering Awards 2023 that recognises outstanding civil engineering achievement, innovation and ingenuity in the region. You can get involved by voting for the project you would like to see win the People’s Choice Award.
March 2023. The celebration launch for the station forecourt and pocket park has been rescheduled and will be held on Friday 21st April. This will be an informal event open to the public.
December 2022. The Christmas tree lights are on in the new open space on the Weymouth Station forecourt. Thank you to the Dorset Council
Highways team and all who were involved to make this happen.
November 2022. Launch Event Postponed. Sadly, the celebration launch for Weymouth Train Station forecourt has been cancelled due to rail strikes. This will be reorganised to take place in the Spring 2023.
Project Background
Improvement work on Weymouth's train station’s forecourt started in November 2021, with the majority of the works completed by September 2022.
The multi-agency, partnership-led and funded project included:
- Much improved station forecourt with new pedestrian areas and walking routes.
- New open space in centre of forecourt available for pop-up events and seasonal Christmas Tree.
- Information panels outlining the history of the railway in the area.
- New bus interchange with direct links to Portland and the Jurassic Coast, with real time rail, bus and local information screens.
- Dedicated taxi rank.
- Improved car park layout with new exit and lower wall with railings – improving visibility and public safety.
- New Pocket Park alongside B&Q, including existing track and signage referencing Weymouth’s railway heritage.
- Pocket Park also operates as a wide and much improved walk and cycle way to Radipole Park, Lakes and Jubilee Retail Park.
- Completely refurbished canopy on platforms 2 and 3.
- Additional secure cycle storage.
- New station café with information displays promoting rail travel.
- Crime prevention hub base for British Transport Police, SWR’s Rail Community Officers and local police.
- Living wall adjacent to train station exit.
Please see timelines and the weekly blog for how the project progressed throughout, including construction photos.
Project Partners
The project was coordinated by Dorset Coast Forum in consultation with the Project Steering Group who met on a regular basis to discuss updates, feed into the design plans and assist with decision making. Steering Group members are listed below:
Dorset Coast Forum, Dorset Council, Weymouth Town Council, Weymouth BID, Community Safety Team, Public Health Dorset, South Western Railway, Weymouth Area Development Trust, First Wessex Buses, Local Melcombe Regis Councillors.
In addition, we worked closely with key stakeholders including Network Rail, WSP Design Consultants, Hanson Contracting, Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Weymouth Taxis Station Association.
Project Funding
The level of commitment can be seen in how the project was funded. We would like to thank Dorset Council for contributing funds from the Local Transport Plan, Contain Outbreak Management Fund and Community Infrastructure Levy, and for Southwest Railways for contributing funds from the Customer and Communities Improvement Fund.
Thank-you also to Public Health Dorset, We Are Weymouth and Weymouth Town Council.
Contributions are still being finalised and details will be shared in due course.
Thank-You
We would like to give a huge thank-you to all funders, project partners and stakeholders listed above for their time, financial commitment, completing the works and giving advice and support throughout the project.
We would also like to thank Chris from Smith and Jones for the creation of the historical interpretation boards which can be seen at the station forecourt, at Pocket Park, the Loop and at the Quay. Thank-you to those who contributed photos and gave historical details that made up the content of the panels, including Graham Perry from Weymouth Museum, Geoff Pritchard and Mike Oakley.
Lastly, we would like to thank local residents and local businesses who gave their input into the original design, detailing what they felt were issues they wished to be resolved and elements they would like to see in this space. We hope that the final result is something that you and everyone else involved, can feel proud of.
Original Aims
The original aim of this project was to make significant improvements by transforming the train forecourt into a more welcoming and user-friendly place for visitors and residents of the town. It was also to:
- Enable interchange between buses and trains and sustainable transport links by redesigning the space for buses/coaches to drop and pick up.
- Improve traffic flow throughout the forecourt without impacting on the surrounding traffic flow on King Street/Queen Street.
- Enable better pedestrian access and cycle routes through the forecourt area.
- Create an attractive walkway and cycle link from a narrow area which links two major business areas and runs alongside a section of closed rail line. This area has now been formed into a new Pocket Park.
- Improve public realm by encouraging new businesses to the area and increase tourism
- Create better wayfinding, interpretation and provision of information.
- Transform first impressions by making the area more welcoming and safer for local residents and visitors to the town
Local strategies and plans were used to inform the development of the project which told us there was a desire for change in the area. Research showed that the area was subject to anti-social behaviour issues evidenced in a British Transport Police Report Crime Prevention Site Survey report (ASB) for Weymouth railway station dated 2017. Further information came from Dorset Police Dorset Council Community Safety Team and railway staff in their feedback.
Within the Weymouth Town Centre Masterplan, there was consensus and support for development of the area, to help support the communities around the station and provide an economic boost to Weymouth. In addition, community consultation revealed aspirations and concerns people had with usage of the station. There was need for a more attractive and safer area, improved communication for wayfinding, sustainable transport links and more accessible space.
Community Engagement
During Summer 2020, Dorset Coast Forum asked Weymouth businesses and residents to take part in an online survey for views on the Weymouth train station forecourt.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey. All responses have now been collated and fed into the Weymouth Station Gateway Consultation Feedback Report.
Finally, an Equality Impact Assessment was conducted and approved by the EQIA team at Dorset Council to evaluate access for all and take into consideration the needs of the wider community.
Project Updates
July 2023. We are pleased to announce that the improvements to Weymouth Train Station forecourt, car park and pocket park were Highly Commended for the Transportation Project of the Year award at the Charted institute of Highways and Transportation southwest awards. In addition, the project has been nominated for an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Southwest Civil Engineering Awards 2023 that recognises outstanding civil engineering achievement, innovation and ingenuity in the region. You can get involved by voting for the project you would like to see win the People’s Choice Award.
March 2023. The celebration launch for the station forecourt and pocket park has been rescheduled and will be held on Friday 21st April. This will be an informal event open to the public.
December 2022. The Christmas tree lights are on in the new open space on the Weymouth Station forecourt. Thank you to the Dorset Council
Highways team and all who were involved to make this happen.
November 2022. Launch Event Postponed. Sadly, the celebration launch for Weymouth Train Station forecourt has been cancelled due to rail strikes. This will be reorganised to take place in the Spring 2023.
Project Background
Improvement work on Weymouth's train station’s forecourt started in November 2021, with the majority of the works completed by September 2022.
The multi-agency, partnership-led and funded project included:
- Much improved station forecourt with new pedestrian areas and walking routes.
- New open space in centre of forecourt available for pop-up events and seasonal Christmas Tree.
- Information panels outlining the history of the railway in the area.
- New bus interchange with direct links to Portland and the Jurassic Coast, with real time rail, bus and local information screens.
- Dedicated taxi rank.
- Improved car park layout with new exit and lower wall with railings – improving visibility and public safety.
- New Pocket Park alongside B&Q, including existing track and signage referencing Weymouth’s railway heritage.
- Pocket Park also operates as a wide and much improved walk and cycle way to Radipole Park, Lakes and Jubilee Retail Park.
- Completely refurbished canopy on platforms 2 and 3.
- Additional secure cycle storage.
- New station café with information displays promoting rail travel.
- Crime prevention hub base for British Transport Police, SWR’s Rail Community Officers and local police.
- Living wall adjacent to train station exit.
Please see timelines and the weekly blog for how the project progressed throughout, including construction photos.
Project Partners
The project was coordinated by Dorset Coast Forum in consultation with the Project Steering Group who met on a regular basis to discuss updates, feed into the design plans and assist with decision making. Steering Group members are listed below:
Dorset Coast Forum, Dorset Council, Weymouth Town Council, Weymouth BID, Community Safety Team, Public Health Dorset, South Western Railway, Weymouth Area Development Trust, First Wessex Buses, Local Melcombe Regis Councillors.
In addition, we worked closely with key stakeholders including Network Rail, WSP Design Consultants, Hanson Contracting, Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Weymouth Taxis Station Association.
Project Funding
The level of commitment can be seen in how the project was funded. We would like to thank Dorset Council for contributing funds from the Local Transport Plan, Contain Outbreak Management Fund and Community Infrastructure Levy, and for Southwest Railways for contributing funds from the Customer and Communities Improvement Fund.
Thank-you also to Public Health Dorset, We Are Weymouth and Weymouth Town Council.
Contributions are still being finalised and details will be shared in due course.
Thank-You
We would like to give a huge thank-you to all funders, project partners and stakeholders listed above for their time, financial commitment, completing the works and giving advice and support throughout the project.
We would also like to thank Chris from Smith and Jones for the creation of the historical interpretation boards which can be seen at the station forecourt, at Pocket Park, the Loop and at the Quay. Thank-you to those who contributed photos and gave historical details that made up the content of the panels, including Graham Perry from Weymouth Museum, Geoff Pritchard and Mike Oakley.
Lastly, we would like to thank local residents and local businesses who gave their input into the original design, detailing what they felt were issues they wished to be resolved and elements they would like to see in this space. We hope that the final result is something that you and everyone else involved, can feel proud of.
Original Aims
The original aim of this project was to make significant improvements by transforming the train forecourt into a more welcoming and user-friendly place for visitors and residents of the town. It was also to:
- Enable interchange between buses and trains and sustainable transport links by redesigning the space for buses/coaches to drop and pick up.
- Improve traffic flow throughout the forecourt without impacting on the surrounding traffic flow on King Street/Queen Street.
- Enable better pedestrian access and cycle routes through the forecourt area.
- Create an attractive walkway and cycle link from a narrow area which links two major business areas and runs alongside a section of closed rail line. This area has now been formed into a new Pocket Park.
- Improve public realm by encouraging new businesses to the area and increase tourism
- Create better wayfinding, interpretation and provision of information.
- Transform first impressions by making the area more welcoming and safer for local residents and visitors to the town
Local strategies and plans were used to inform the development of the project which told us there was a desire for change in the area. Research showed that the area was subject to anti-social behaviour issues evidenced in a British Transport Police Report Crime Prevention Site Survey report (ASB) for Weymouth railway station dated 2017. Further information came from Dorset Police Dorset Council Community Safety Team and railway staff in their feedback.
Within the Weymouth Town Centre Masterplan, there was consensus and support for development of the area, to help support the communities around the station and provide an economic boost to Weymouth. In addition, community consultation revealed aspirations and concerns people had with usage of the station. There was need for a more attractive and safer area, improved communication for wayfinding, sustainable transport links and more accessible space.
Community Engagement
During Summer 2020, Dorset Coast Forum asked Weymouth businesses and residents to take part in an online survey for views on the Weymouth train station forecourt.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey. All responses have now been collated and fed into the Weymouth Station Gateway Consultation Feedback Report.
Finally, an Equality Impact Assessment was conducted and approved by the EQIA team at Dorset Council to evaluate access for all and take into consideration the needs of the wider community.
