Rochester railway station plans approved

The station, on part of Corporation Street car park, will be nearer the town centre

Proposals for a new £26m railway station in Rochester in Kent have been approved.

Network Rail's plans for the new station were backed by Medway councillors at a meeting on Tuesday.

The council said the station, on part of Corporation Street car park, would be closer to the town centre, which it claimed would help businesses.

Improvements are also planned at Rainham and Strood stations, the spokesman said.

The new station at Rochester, expected to open in 2015, will have three longer platforms to allow 12 carriages to stop at Rochester instead of 10.

It is in response to an expected 30% increase in passenger numbers as Rochester's regeneration continues over the coming years.