We’re building a new Croydon Transport Hub, with new road connections to replace the congested level crossing and roundabout at Coolstore Road, a new rail bridge over the road, and a new Croydon Station.
During our consultation about the project’s early concept designs, we heard that trees and vegetation are important to the Croydon community. We’ve taken this into consideration in our landscape planning and design. The new transport hub will feature rejuvenated open space, including extensive landscaping throughout the station precinct.
We have also refined the construction methods to build the new rail bridge, which will mean more than 200 trees can be saved.
We did this by investigating the use of bored combined service route (CSR) in targeted locations. Bored CSR is where a drill is used to bore a channel under the ground. The different services, such as electricity and train signalling equipment, are then pulled through the small tunnel and connected into the network.
While this method is not appropriate for all areas of the project, we’ve identified where bored CSR can be used to save large sections of trees along Wicklow Avenue. The area of vegetation we are saving includes a significant part of the Crane Memorial Planting, which is important to the local community.
We’re also increasing our earlier commitment to plant more than 60,000 trees, shrubs and grasses to over 70,000. This vegetation will be planted throughout the new station precinct, complementing new walking and cycling paths.
As part of this planting scheme, we’re harvesting seeds from the existing vegetation. This allows us to grow saplings, which will replace the trees that need to be removed. Seed harvesting helps maintain connection to the area and replenish existing species.
The project’s native planting design will increase biodiversity in the Croydon area, including the addition of endangered native species to the planting scheme, such as Long-leaved box trees.
We'll be discussing landscaping and more in our updated designs information sessions in March. To register, visit Eventbrite. You can also visit our virtual information room and learn about the Croydon Transport Hub in your own time.
Landscaping will take place once construction finishes in 2025, with the level crossing gone, new road connections open and trains running safely along the new rail bridge. Find out more about the updated designs for the new transport hub on our project page.