New rail service delayed for four years

The construction of a new train service linking Nuneaton to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, due for completion last month, has been delayed by four years.

The long-awaited project was hit by budget concerns earlier in April that were expected to hold completion back by 18 months.

Warwickshire County Council have confirmed that the project will be completed by 2017 at the earliest, as was revealed by the Council’s portfolio holder for transport, Councillor Peter Butlin.

The new rail link- called the NUCKLE line-will link Nuneaton and Leamington via Coventry and Kenilworth when finished.

Improvements to Nuneaton and Bedworth stations are also anticipated as part of the project, as is the construction of a new station at Bermuda.

It is hoped that NUCKLE will eventually relieve heavy congestion on roads in the West Midlands.

Speaking to the Coventry Telegraph, Councillor Butlin said: “With the news earlier this year that they were going to electrify the line between Coventry and Leamington, the other updates were complicated by that.

“So it was split in to two phases and the first phase, which will see the stations at Bermuda, the Ricoh Arena and updates to Nuneaton, will still start next year.

“Another problem is finding the capacity for trains, but that is down to Centro, so the second stage will be finished by 2017 and then we will have two services an hour on the line.

“The main issue with NUCKLE was to provide connectivity and that is what it will do.”

Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones commented: “I am doing everything I can both locally and in Westminster to push this important project forward.”