I THOUGHT Karen Lyons’ letter, ‘Rail users treat street like car park,’ was excellent and highlighted a real problem in the area.

The issue has been made worse by making Junction Lane part of the council’s new parking scheme when perhaps there was no real need to do so.

The fundamental issue is that the rail car park at Junction Station is simply far too small.

Not too long ago there was a spate of car break-ins on the car park and, similarly, the public car parks on Junction Lane itself have suffered from the same problem in the past, hence why they have never been popular or well used.

The solution includes four things:

  • A much bigger and safer rail car park
  • A residents parking scheme as you have suggested
  • Better promotion of bus links to the Junction Station
  • Re-open the Central Junction line which is disused so there is a rail link to Manchester from the north of St Helens.

Many people drive to St Helens Junction station rather than Lea Green station (which has a bigger car park which is also busy) because it’s the best way to catch a train to Manchester and more Manchester and Liverpool-bound trains stop at the Junction than Lea Green.

For example, none of the the Manchester Airport trains in either direction stop at Lea Green nor do many going to Manchester Piccadilly or Oxford Road.

All these things compound the problem parking around your street near St Helens Junction Station.

Anthony Wilson