More services to operate from Worcestershire Parkway
Direct rail services to Bristol and to Edinburgh are to start operating from Worcestershire Parkway station.The services, which begin on Sunday, will connect the station to Yorkshire, the North East, Glasgow, Dundee and the South West. There will also be two trains per hour running to Birmingham New Street.The station, at Norton, near Worcester, opened in 2020 operating to London Paddington on Great Western Railway services and a route from Cardiff to Nottingham. It was the first station to open in the county for more than 100 years.
The introduction of the new services "marks a huge milestone for Worcestershire Parkway and rail users across the county", Worcestershire County Council said.
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Derek lives in the retirement village on the opposite side of the KFC. He said that his ground floor flat is ruined by the smell, particularly on summer days when he opens his window. Derek added: 'On a sunny day like today when I open the window it's all I can smell, and it's bad.' Another issue Derek highlighted is the increased traffic caused on quite a small road. Delivery drivers are a particular concern for retirement home residents as he said: 'All you see going there are just guys on bikes with the big boxes for delivery orders, and they have no care for motorists or people walking nearby.' Dean said that traffic is especially bad during peak times, like on a Friday, which can 'create quite a bit of congestion.' Not all residents are as put off by the fast food chain though, as Devin Parmar, 41, said: 'It's actually a selling point - I like the smell.' He added that 'it's really convenient' and that ultimately he is 'glad it's there.' Devin did acknowledge the risk of increased litter with the chain's expansion, however, he said: 'that's more on people throwing rubbish on the floor, not throwing it in a bin.' As long as KFC provides adequate bins and accounts for successful waste management as part of the expansion, Devin thinks it will be a good thing, and the members of the community should learn to take care of their litter. With the news that the store expansion could create 7,000 jobs, Devin said it was nice to see 'a chain… actually investing in the UK which is a good thing' especially 'at a time where people are complaining about cost of living and unemployment rates.' Philip Charsley, 60, shared a similarly positive mindset. He said: 'To be honest I haven't had any problems with it. While he admitted you do 'occasionally get a smell', he said 'it's no worse than somebody that's having a barbecue.' His main issue with the chain is that 'it's just not good food' as he would rather cook from scratch than indulge in the deep fried food. While most residents seemed to agree that its former occupants were better, they were also more apprehensive about what could replace the KFC if it ever shut down. Tim initially expressed a hope that 'it might close down' as he noted it's 'never really that busy.' However, he said: 'The worry now is if that does fail, what do you get next? A McDonalds or a Burger King? I just don't want those sorts of places.' Slightly further down the road is a McDonalds drive thru that Philip says 'causes major traffic issues,' leaving him grateful that the KFC is not very busy. 10 10 10 Long-term residents seem more put-out by the addition to their suburban neighbourhood, while Philip and Devin, who moved to the area four and six years ago respectively, were more positive. With an average Trip a dvisor rating of 1.7, visitors to West Wickham's KFC complain of rude staff, soggy fries, and incorrect orders. While the new initiative could provide new job opportunities, residents of West Wickham empathise with Britons across the country who might be feeling apprehensive about the chain's expansion. Despite Devin's positive attitude, he did acknowledge that 'litter and pest issues will be the main concern for residents across the country as it could cause issues in each of the bubbles near each location.' A spokesperson for Bromley Council said: "Permission was granted for this development over a decade ago, which followed the usual process for determining Planning applications and considered all representations, including from residents, received at that time. "We have had few complaints relating to this property, but residents can raise any concerns, which will be investigated through our Planning or Public Protection Enforcement teams as required." We have approached KFC for comment.
