£660,000 improvement works for Exeter Central Station

A £660,000 improvement scheme to transform Exeter's Central Station forecourt has been given the green light.

Work is expected to start in August after Devon County Council's Cabinet approved a lease agreement at a meeting yesterday.

The scheme, which was approved by Cabinet last September and aims to encourage walking and cycling to Exeter Central Station, will be funded by Devon County Council (£330,000), Exeter City Council (£185,000) and Network Rail (£145,000).

The DCC cabinet supported the proposal for Devon County Council to lease the forecourt area from the landowner, Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.

This will enable the County Council and Exeter City Council to take responsibility for its day to day maintenance, with Network Rail providing an additional £15,000 toward future upkeep.

The space will be used for cafe seating and a bike hub, which is proposed to include secure bike storage, bike hire, maintenance and repair facilities using one of the vacant retail units.

The bike hub will be operated by a private company, with Devon County Council starting a tender process in the coming weeks.

The business will be supported by Access to Stations Local Sustainable Transport Funds (LSTF) for the first two years, after which it will need to be self-sustaining.

The layout also includes an upgraded bus stop and shelter, taxi provision, separate drop off and loading bays for up to five vehicles, disabled parking and cycle parking. The improvement work is scheduled to be completed by November 2013.