January 3rd 2024.
The redevelopment of Theale station in Berkshire has been branded a 'case study' in British inefficiency after it ended up more than a decade behind schedule and cost nearly three times the amount allocated.
The upgrade to the small railway station was announced in 2011 with a budget of £1.25 million. This was to include a new footbridge with lifts to make the station wheelchair-accessible. However, the existing funding was deemed only enough to build a new ticket office and 'progress design work' for the footbridge.
Network Rail also said the ticket office at the station had to be moved because it couldn't be safely accessed during construction of the bridge. This was completed in 2014, but the rest of the funding was deferred until 2021 due to changes to the investment programme.
It wasn't until 2021 that another £9.5 million was set aside for Network Rail to build the footbridge and lifts. This is despite the fact that the average cost of an accessible footbridge is between £3 million and £5 million. Construction didn't begin until January 2023, and it's now expected the footbridge and lifts will be finally be open for use in the spring of this year.
Sir Alok Sharma, MP for Reading West, expressed his frustration at the situation, saying: "The redevelopment of Theale station is a classic case study in just how slowly even relatively small infrastructure projects are delivered in our country, with resultant cost increases having to be picked up by the taxpayer. We have to get much better at untangling the stifling bureaucracy and red tape in our system which holds back the time-efficient and cost-effective delivery of infrastructure."
Explaining the bridge's high cost, Network Rail said: "Theale station has three tracks and four platforms, and it is a very busy station for freight in particular. This means the opportunities to do work while trains are not running is limited. The extra width of those three tracks also means a longer span across the railway and more difficult construction."
A spokesperson for the organisation said: "Plans to build a new footbridge with lifts at Theale station, part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme, were approved in January 2013 alongside a range of improvements including a new ticket office and expanded car park.
At this time, funding was only provided for the ticket office and to progress design work for the footbridge. A new ticket office was built by Great Western Railway. In 2021, £9.5 million funding was awarded for Network Rail to build a footbridge and lifts. The new facilities are set to open to the public in spring 2024. Great Western Railway will then begin work to expand the car park."
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