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Birmingham New Street station unveils its long-awaited makeover Birmingham New Street station unveils long-awaited makeover
(34 minutes later)
The transformation of one of Britain’s biggest and most unloved stations, Birmingham New Street, into a welcoming space of light and life has been completed, with hopes that the five-year works worth £750m will help change the face of the city.The transformation of one of Britain’s biggest and most unloved stations, Birmingham New Street, into a welcoming space of light and life has been completed, with hopes that the five-year works worth £750m will help change the face of the city.
The old, dark concourse of New Street has been replaced with a giant, glass-roofed atrium, flooding the station with natural light. The station opens to the public on Sunday and an adjoining redeveloped shopping centre, Grand Central, will open on Thursday, helping to unlock the heart of the city. The old, dark concourse of New Street has been replaced with a giant, glass-roofed atrium, flooding the station with natural light. The station opens to the public on Sunday and an adjoining redeveloped shopping centre, Grand Central, will open on Thursday.
The station has been rebuilt while continuing to serve 170,000 passengers who use the station each day, in the 1960s concrete building designed for barely a third of that number. Network Rail now hopes that the station will become a retail destination in its own right, helping revive the local area in the way that St Pancras has in London, with 43 shops in New Street as well as Grand Central and a landmark, 250,000 sq ft John Lewis store built alongside. The station has been rebuilt while continuing to serve 170,000 passengers who use the station each day, in the 1960s concrete building designed for barely a third of that number. Network Rail now hopes that the station will become a retail destination in its own right, helping to revive the local area in the way that St Pancras has in London, with 43 shops in New Street as well as Grand Central and a 250,000 sq ft John Lewis store built alongside.
Related: Britain's new railway revolution - the shop arriving at platform 2 is for youRelated: Britain's new railway revolution - the shop arriving at platform 2 is for you
Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “Birmingham New Street sits right at the heart of our rail network and the transformation which has taken place here is nothing short of stunning. The station is now bigger, brighter and better able to meet the needs of the growing number of people who use it each day.Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “Birmingham New Street sits right at the heart of our rail network and the transformation which has taken place here is nothing short of stunning. The station is now bigger, brighter and better able to meet the needs of the growing number of people who use it each day.
“Rebuilding one of the busiest stations in the country without impacting on passengers’ journeys has been a major challenge, but I’m extremely proud to say that Network Rail and our partners on this project have done just that.”“Rebuilding one of the busiest stations in the country without impacting on passengers’ journeys has been a major challenge, but I’m extremely proud to say that Network Rail and our partners on this project have done just that.”
Up to 3,500 workers were employed at a time on the rebuilding, which involved tens of thousands of tonnes of concrete being removed and recycled to create space for the new station, whose atrium covers a concourse five times the size of Euston’s Up to 3,500 workers were employed at a time on the rebuilding, which involved tens of thousands of tonnes of concrete being removed and recycled to create space for the new station, whose atrium covers a concourse five times the size of London Euston’s.
Patrick McLoughlin, the secretary of state for transport, said: “The improvements made at this important transport hub have made it into a truly impressive building that passengers and the people of Birmingham can use and enjoy.” Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, said: “The improvements made at this important transport hub have made it into a truly impressive building that passengers and the people of Birmingham can use and enjoy.”
Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The station redevelopment has been a key project for the city, stimulating economic growth and regeneration and, with the added creation of Grand Central; it has provided one of the best-connected retail spaces in the country. This is sure to have a catalytic effect on further regeneration of the city centre and attracting businesses to Birmingham. Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham city council, said: “The station redevelopment has been a key project for the city, stimulating economic growth and regeneration and, with the added creation of Grand Central; it has provided one of the best-connected retail spaces in the country. This is sure to have a catalytic effect on further regeneration of the city centre and attracting businesses to Birmingham.”
Birmingham New Street is the busiest station outside London, and the busiest interchange station in the UK, with a train leaving the station every 37 seconds. The addition of 15 new public lifts will make the station fully accessible for the first time. Birmingham New Street is the busiest station outside London and the busiest interchange station in the UK, with a train leaving the station every 37 seconds. The addition of 15 public lifts will make the station fully accessible for the first time.