Stoke-on-Trent gateway transformed in £29m regeneration project

Residents and visitors travelling to and from Stoke-on-Trent will soon benefit from improved access and a better connection to the city centre as part of a multi-million-pound project.

Work to enhance the area around Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station has been ongoing since August 2023 as part of a scheme which aims to better connect the railway station to the city centre and new developments such as Goods Yard.

Supported by £29 million from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), the transformational scheme has included the complete redevelopment of Station Road and Winton Square which now boast:

• An attractive public realm with new street furniture
• Priority access for buses via a bus gate at Winton Square
• Improved parking facilities including dedicated areas for drop-off and pick up
• Wider pavements and pedestrian crossings
• New bus stops and shelters showing real-time passenger information

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are committed to making it easier, safer and better for everyone to get around the city, and these improvements will enable improved access for buses, pedestrians and cyclists and support traffic flow around the Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station.

“The scheme will also provide a safe and attractive travel corridor which connects the railway station to Hanley City Centre and the bus station, and encourage more sustainable travel by providing a more pleasant and healthier environment for cyclists and pedestrians.”

To mark the completion of the milestone scheme, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is hosting a grand opening event at Station Road on Monday 11 August.

This will be an opportunity to see what has been achieved as part of the project and will include the official unveiling of the Josiah Wedgwood statue which has been relocated to a more prominent place in front of the station.

Prior to the opening, Station Road will be closed in both directions, all day and all night, from Saturday 19 July at 6am until Sunday 10 August at 10pm.

The full road closure will enable block paving to be laid along the new-look carriage way, the completion of the bus gate at Winton Square and the re-location of the Josiah Wedgwood statue.

Vehicles will not be able to access or drive over the carriageway for the full duration of the closure. Residents will still be able to use car park 3, at the rear of the station, for drop off and pick up, the taxi rank will remain accessible, businesses will remain open and the Keele and Newcastle bus stop will be temporarily relocated to Stoke Road.

Cllr Gordon-McCusker added: “As we enter the final phase of this transformational project I would like to thank residents for their ongoing patience throughout the works.

“I am hopeful that residents, visitors and commuters will feel the benefit of these improvements as they travel around the city during our centenary year and beyond.”