Tudeley near Tonbridge: would a new station be feasible?

[telstarbox]

The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan includes an allocation of 2,800 houses at Tudeley either side of the straight, flat railway line from Tonbridge to Paddock Wood.

The site promoters have shown a "potential" station but is that feasible and how much would it cost if so?

 

[yorksrob]

The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan includes an allocation of 2,800 houses at Tudeley either side of the straight, flat railway line from Tonbridge to Paddock Wood.

The site promoters have shown a "potential" station but is that feasible and how much would it cost if so?

I can't imagine it would make much difference to the half hourly stopper that goes that way now.

 

[bramling]

The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan includes an allocation of 2,800 houses at Tudeley either side of the straight, flat railway line from Tonbridge to Paddock Wood.

The site promoters have shown a "potential" station but is that feasible and how much would it cost if so?

Seems like a sales pitch to bump up the value of the houses to me. 2,800 houses in an otherwise rural area with two well-served stations a couple of miles either side isn't a lot to support a station. I can't really see it being unfeasible if someone wants to pay though, with the line now being more of a backwater than a main line.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Anyone who can afford these are likely to drive gas guzzlers and so won't need the services of a railway...

 

[telstarbox]

You've obviously never seen the car park at Sevenoaks station (Other well heeled locations are available).

 

[steamybrian]

The proposed development of 2,800 houses between Tudeley ( a hamlet of probably 100 people the nearby village) and Five Oak Green ( a village with between 500 and a thousand residents) hardly justifies spending millions on a new station when far bigger places cannot justify stations. The B2017 between Tonbridge and Paddock Wood passing through these places is narrow, twisting and require upgrading. The no. 205 bus service between Tonbridge and Paddock Wood is about hourly from 0812 until the last bus leaving Tonbridge around 1745hrs ( it sharply contrasts with the more frequent train service).

 

[yorksrob]

How about a concrete halt from Exmouth Junction ?

 

[bramling]

How about a concrete halt from Exmouth Junction ?

If you wanted to be proper Southern Region, you could re-use one from elsewhere. I think Chislet Colliery Halt is still substantially intact.

 

[yorksrob]

If you wanted to be proper Southern Region, you could re-use one from elsewhere. I think Chislet Colliery Halt is still substantially intact.

Definitely - re-use Hoo junction halt again and the disused platform at three oaks !

 

[bramling]

Definitely - re-use Hoo junction halt again and the disused platform at three oaks !

Sounds like a plan!

 

[Bald Rick]

The site promoters have shown a "potential" station but is that feasible and how much would it cost if so?

Assuming it needed 12 car platforms and a car park, and there was no need to do anything with the existing infrastructure, there wouldn’t get much, if any, change from £15m-£20m.

 

[telstarbox]

So less than £10k per dwelling isn't bad if it can be secured as a Section 106 Agreement...

 

[bramling]

So less than £10k per dwelling isn't bad if it can be secured as a Section 106 Agreement...

Being cynical, the station doesn’t actually need to happen. Just stick something like “proposal for a station with 2tph to London” on the publicity, and that would probably do the business (though at the moment having a garden office might be more relevant).

 

[telstarbox]

The Inspector for the Tunbridge Wells Local Plan had doubts about the Tudeley proposals. The Borough Council have now responded as follows - which keeps the possiblity of the station alive.

The following works are being specifically undertaken for Tudeley Village:
- The Council is discussing the matter of accessibility by rail with Network Rail to establish whether there are further opportunities that can be explored for a railway station that might serve the development to seek to improve modal shift and highway impact from the allocation.
- ....

Nearby Marden has around 4,000 people and Wye has around 2,500, both supporting reasonably well used stations. Could it happen here?

Being cynical, the station doesn’t actually need to happen. Just stick something like “proposal for a station with 2tph to London” on the publicity, and that would probably do the business (though at the moment having a garden office might be more relevant).

In planning terms it would be more legally enforceable than publicity to end buyers.