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Robert Key MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
29 November 2004 
Re: Salisbury Railway
Station Thank you for your
letter of 29 October regarding the parking facilities at
Salisbury Railway Station.
I would like to
assure you that Network Rail is working
with both South West Trains and EWS (English, Welsh and
Scottish Railways) to resolve two outstanding issues — one
involving the technical operation of the railway and the other a
car park design difficulty.
The operational
issue involves the need to retain a siding
within the car park land for the removal by road of non-functioning
wagons. The siding would be used only rarely and out-of-hours.
This is an unusual and difficult technical issue, which
is compounded by
the freight operator using the same infrastructure. Network
Rail is in the process of assessing a recently completed
engineering report to
help us to work towards a solution.
With regard to the
car park design, the shape of the site and the presence
of an existing right of way that has to
be retained create
an additional problem. Network Rail is working with
the contractor to arrive at a final design, which maximises
the number of parking
spaces,
whilst addressing all of the design issues. I understand
that a meeting is taking place onsite this week with
all interested parties and traffic
engineers to reach a resolution.
It is intended that
a planning application be submitted very shortly, but clearly
this can only be done once
an agreed design and technical railway solution has
been reached. I can also inform you that
we have, in discussions with the present tenant of
the site, given an assurance that we will voluntarily
allow them a twelve-month
notice
period.
Please be assured
that Network Rail recognises the car parking issues at Salisbury.
This is why the company has found a way of achieving the
additional parking through proper development, despite the
absence of funding for an enhancement.
I appreciate your
concerns, however, please be assured that
work to increase capacity of the car park will commence at
the earliest opportunity.
John Armitt
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