Media centre

Tuesday 14 Jul 2015

Revamp of Paddington station will mean better facilities for passengers

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Over the next 18 months Network Rail will be making significant changes to Paddington station to provide passengers with new and improved facilities and ultimately a better travelling experience.

The Grade 1 listed structure is currently benefitting from a renovation of its roof and an upgrade to its lighting system above the platforms, but now Network Rail is starting a major programme of work to significantly improve the appearance of the station as a whole and provide growing numbers of passengers – 61 million forecast for this year - with a wider range of places to eat, drink and shop.

Details of this work are as follows:

• The area known as ‘The Lawn’ which houses the retail outlets at the back of the main station building is to be renovated to provide passengers with better retail choices and more food and drink outlets.
• Better waiting facilities, including more seating areas, will be installed.
• The glazing on the roof of the station will be replaced with new, clear windows to let in more natural daylight.
• The roof will be cleaned and the pillars, roof and steelwork repainted to improve the station’s appearance.

In addition, First Great Western will be carrying out work to their ticket office to provide 12 ticket counters, install new state-of the-art ticket machines and transform its appearance using a Brunel inspired design.

Natalie Holden, Network Rail’s senior commercial scheme sponsor for the project, said: “Paddington is one of Britain’s busiest stations and getting busier each year, so it’s only right that passengers have the facilities to make their travelling experience better.

“We’re working closely with English Heritage to preserve the heritage of this iconic building, making sure the changes we make are sensitive to the original structure and take account of its Grade 1 listed status.”

During the 18-month duration of the project, train services will not be affected by the work but passengers will notice changes to the layout of the station and to some of the retail outlets.

Natalie continued: “Paddington will remain open for business while we work, trains services will continue to run and there will still be places where you can buy food and drink.

“We’d like to thank passengers in advance for bearing with us while we make their station a more pleasant place and provide them with a greater range of facilities.”

While these improvements are carried out, Network Rail will also be continuing its work on the Crossrail programme, to better connect the South East with London and reduce journey times across the capital. In addition, work will be continuing as part of the company’s £7.5b modernisation programme to electrify the Great Western Main Line in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains and to re-signal the route to provide greater reliability and punctuality for passengers.

First Great Western’s flagship station manager at Paddington, Ian Monks, said: “Paddington is an icon of engineering and we welcome this work, which is being conducted as part of the most significant programme of investment on the Great Western network in a generation.

“As well as improvements to many station facilities to better passengers’ experience, the electrification of the Great Western Main Line will also see us provide our passengers with reduced journey times, more frequent trains and more seats - all the things we know that they want to see.”

Regular updates on the revamp of Paddington station will be provided as the work progresses. More information will be available via Network Rail’s website www.networkrail.co.uk and helpdesk 03457 11 41 41, and via Paddington station’s Twitter account @NetworkRailPAD.

Network Rail reinvests all profits from its commercial activities back into the railway, creating a better railway for a better Britain and helping reduce the cost of running the railway.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The existing retail outlets that will remain following the revamp include:

Sainsbury’s

Starbucks

WHSmith

Barburrito

TM Lewin

Natwest ATM cash machines

Photo-Me International booth

Accessorize

Isle of Flowers

The Paddington Bear Shop

All the retailers on the Mezzanine floor including Eat, Patisserie Valerie and The Mad Bishop and Bear pub