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Spalding Railway Station.
A campaign is growing to make the town railway station a proper gateway to Spalding and South Holland by improving the buildings and increasing services.
Direct routes to London and Europe could be just the ticket for Spalding's train services in the future.
But the station's listed building and two bridges are in urgent need of repair and with a new train operator due to take over the running of services later this year, now is the time for improvements to start.
Reporter John Baker.
Plans for South Holland Radio to convert three disused rooms into an office, cafe and studio on a 25-year lease – part of a national scheme to find usage for run-down stations – are in the pipeline.
Littleworth Halt at Deeping St Nicholas could also be used to relieve congestion in the town and surrounding roads as part of an overall drive to improve transport efficiency and boost Lincolnshire's economy.
Four competitors are bidding to take over the East Midlands franchise in November, and may be tempted to include ideas in their bids to the Department for Transport for a direct link from London to Lincoln – stopping at Spalding.
The station runs separate services to Lincoln and Peterborough but South Holland is in the top ten fastest growing districts in England and Wales, with a rate of 550 new homes a year, and services need to be extended to cope.
Studies have also shown that Spalding, Lincoln and Peterborough are expected to have a 93 per cent passenger growth by 2026.
Renaissance Trains has contacted the Office of Rail Regulation with ideas for a Humber Coast and City Railway service, which could incorporate Spalding into a line from the Humber Coast down to the City of London.
The service would also travel into Stratford as a link onto the Eurostar service in time for the 2012 Olympic Games.
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