Members of the public are now able to access the second half of the new Wolverhampton railway station, following the completion of main construction on Phase 2 in March 2021.
Since then, work has been carried out to fully commission and authorise the new section of the station ahead of its public opening.
The new station forms part of a significant local transformation being carried out, as part of the city’s £150m Interchange scheme. Within the city scheme, there are improvements planned for bus, Metro, cycle and train connectivity.
Public transport investment is also identified as a crucial part of the regional #WM2041 ambition of a zero carbon region, with the station opening coming ahead of the West Midlands hosting the landmark UK100 climate summit next month.
Phase 1 of the station has been open to the public since May last year with train services running. It includes six ticket vending machines, new British Transport Police, toilet, accessibility and baby changing facilities, three retail units ready to be fitted out, train crew accommodation, and a spacious concourse.
Phase 2, being opened to the public now, includes three more retail units ready to be fitted out, as well as a customer lounge and dedicated customer help point.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Wolverhampton Railway Station is a crucial part of public transport plans for the West Midlands, and I am delighted that we’re now able to officially open the second half of the station to the public. It really is an incredible gateway to the city and I hope residents can feel a great sense of pride in it.
“The completion of phase two is also brilliant news for our Metro extension to the station, as we’re now able to get shovels back in the ground and complete the works. This means residents in Wolverhampton will soon be able to travel seamlessly across the wider West Midlands and beyond once we have the HS2 stations up and running.”
City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, added: “I am delighted that we as a Council have delivered on this vision thanks to strong collaborative work with all our partners.
“A lot of hard work has been put in by everyone on the Interchange scheme and it is great to see both phases of our new railway station up and running.
“The station is symbolic of the multi-billion-pound regeneration that is taking place in our city.
“It has been a long-held ambition to build a railway station befitting of our great city and connect train, Metro, cycle and bus in one place to provide a gateway to Wolverhampton that everyone can be proud of.
“As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions in the future, people will feel the full benefit of what these impressive new facilities have to offer.
“The railway station development is a big part of how we are re-imagining and re-inventing our city centre to help boost the local economy, create jobs and make the most of our canalside areas, where we have major housing plans.”
Main Picture: (front to back): Cllr Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, Mel Bryett, West Midlands Trains Wolverhampton Station Manager, Jane Stevenson MP for Wolverhampton NE, Craig Mortiboys, Avanti West Coast Regional Growth Manager – West Midlands, Paul Brown, MMA Construction Director, Rob Mason, Ion Development Director, Subeagh Singh, SLC Rail Interchange Programme Co-ordinator, Jim Rowley, Galliford Try Senior Project Manager, and Mike Evanson, Network Rail Project Manager
