A RAILWAY station could get its own multi-storey car park – but only if a survey shows that it is feasible and if the cash to build it can be found.

Chorley Council has commissioned a £20,000 study to investigate the potential for the project, which it is hoped would alleviate Buckshaw Parkway's longstanding parking problems.

The surface-level park and ride facility at the station is often full during more normal, non-pandemic times.

The authority has stepped in because it says that there is “no single organisation driving a solution”, according to papers accompanying the executive member decision authorising the spending on the report.

However, the council warns while it also has some cash from planning agreements that it could contribute to any full-scale construction project, it would be insufficient unless other organisations also pitched in.

An agreement has been reached with the owner of an adjacent plot of land to create a temporary car park should the multi-storey ultimately be built on the parking site. Astley and Buckshaw ward councillor Laura Lennox says that the station has been “a victim of its own success”.

“With the exception of Chorley, the services from Buckshaw Parkway over towards Manchester are much better than from other stations in the vicinity – there are certainly not as many trains in that direction from Leyland.

“But the parking issue does cause a lot of aggravation for people, so I’m pleased that Chorley Council has said that it will act as an honest broker in trying to move things on.”

However, Cllr Lennox warned that finding the cash was not the only potential barrier to the car park project.

“Because this was the site of the Royal Ordnance munitions factory, nobody really knows what they will find until they start digging.

“Obviously, the land has previously been cleared and remediated, but you will need to dig down a lot further to put in the foundations for a multi-storey,” she warned.

The results of the proposed “industry standard” feasibility study for rail projects would be required to secure the support of the three stakeholders – Network Rail as landowner, Northern Rail as operator and Lancashire County Council as transport authority.