The new Thanet Parkway station will open to passengers on 31 July, improving rail connectivity between East Kent, London and the wider region by providing access to mainline and highspeed train services.
Located between Ramsgate and Minster, Thanet Parkway station will boost the local and wider Kent economy by supporting connections to new housing and new business and job opportunities, particularly at surrounding business parks in Thanet and Dover, as well as supporting the area’s leisure and tourism industry.
The station has two 250 metre platforms that can accommodate spacious 12-car trains, offering high speed services to St Pancras International via Ashford International in as little as 70 minutes, as well as Mainline connections to London terminals and across Kent and the Medway Towns.
It will also provide connections to a wide range of leisure destinations enabling customers to visit places such as Canterbury (17 mins), Margate (15 mins), Ashford International (32 mins) and Broadstairs (10 mins).
There are a range of facilities at the station to support customers during their journeys including:
- lifts and stairs to access the platforms
- ticket vending machines
- waiting shelters
- hearing loops
- CCTV
- seating
- landscaping works, and
- passenger help points to provide remote assistance for those who need it.
Acoustic barriers have also been installed to absorb any noise impact and provide privacy for lineside neighbours once train services start operating from the station.
As well as rail connections for London and across Kent, Thanet Parkway station provides the potential for an integrated transport hub in the future.
A new road provides access to the station from the A299 Hengist Way, with parking available for 293 vehicles, including 16 for Blue Badge holders, as well as a number of charging points for electric vehicles.
Pick up and drop off zones have also been set out, along with a station bus stop which will be served by an electric minibus shuttle to Discovery Park, which can be reached in just six minutes.
There is cycling and pedestrian access to Cliffsend village with both bike racks and bike storage facilities available.
The station has been landscaped to enhance the surrounding environment and achieve bio-diversity net gain with new trees, shrubs, flowering grass and ivy plants.
To allow trains to call safely at the new station, Cliffsend and Sevenscore level crossings have been upgraded at the same time. At Cliffsend the current automatic half barriers are being replaced with full barriers with CCTV controlled from East Kent Signalling Centre in Gillingham.
The station and level crossing works has been jointly funded by the Government’s Department for Transport (DfT); South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP); Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; Thanet District Council; East Kent Spatial Development Company; and Kent County Council.
The investment is part of Network Rail’s Thanet Corridor Enhancements Programme which includes upgrades to Dibleys, Ships Meadow and Grove Ferry crossings to permit line speed increases between Ashford, Canterbury West and Ramsgate.
Thanet Parkway station has now been added to Southeastern’s online journey planner and tickets for services to and from Thanet Parkway will be able to be purchased from 1 July.
David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent route director, said: “It’s fantastic that Thanet Parkway will be opening next month, Kent’s first new station in eight years.
“The opening of this station is testament to the collaborative working relationship between our partners and Thanet Parkway will play a central role in helping boost the local economy and support tourism by providing connections to a wide range of leisure destinations.
“I look forward to seeing the first passengers using Thanet Parkway and would like to thank the many colleagues involved who have worked so hard with our partners in opening this new station.”
Steve White, Southeastern’s managing director, said: “We’re excited to begin services at Thanet Parkway, some 90 years after the people of Cliffsend last had their own railway station.
“Working with our partners to enable the communities on our network to thrive is important to us, and Thanet Parkway will offer a live example of what can be achieved. All day highspeed services to St Pancras and peak services to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross will bring new opportunities to experience the area’s tourist attractions as well as the many business and employment opportunities nearby.”
Image credit: Network Rail
