22.07.20
Birmingham University Station to see momentous upgrade
With Birmingham set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022, a major upgrade will take place to Birmingham’s University Station, Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has today (July 22nd) confirmed.
He unveils with this announcement a £12m government investment to help ease congestion, boost the economy and make existing journeys more reliable for thousands of passengers.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is leading a consortium formed of the University of Birmingham , Birmingham City Council, Network Rail, West Midlands Trains and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP to fund the project to revitalise and expand the station and provide additional passenger capacity in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
The £56m project will deliver a larger, modern station and enhanced facilities including more lifts, a ticket office, shop and public toilets in hope of providing competitors and sports fans a better experience.
The station was originally opened in 1978 and was designed to serve 500,000 passengers per year but now, over 40 years later, this has increased by 4 million people, with demand only expected to rise further in the coming years.
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Birmingham has the privilege of welcoming our Commonwealth friends from around the world in 2022 and so we are delivering a station that will be a worthy gateway to the Games for athletes and fans alike.
“And long after the games have gone passengers will arrive into a modern station that provides better connections and makes journeys easier and more reliable.
“This station development demonstrates our ambition to build great infrastructure for the future, that will transform travel for those who use it and is just part of our wider agenda to level up all parts of the UK.”
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This funding from the Department for Transport means we have taken another major step towards building a new University Station ready for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“Over the last decade or so we have seen huge growth in both the university campus and the hospital site, making University one of the busiest railway stations on our network. Because of this it is clear that the station is becoming increasingly not fit for purpose, and the latest funding announced by the DfT today will help us take another step towards delivering a new University Station.”
Cllr Ian Ward, West Midlands Combined Authority portfolio lead for transport, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This new station will not only provide a magnificent gateway to Birmingham for those visitors coming for the Commonwealth Games, but for the many more who pass through here day in, day out.
"Getting more people onto trains across the region is one of the key elements of our work to reduce traffic congestion and reliance on the car, as we improve our air quality and progress towards a zero-carbon economy.”
Image: Department for Transport