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Monday 31 Oct 2016

Birmingham New Street station’s southern hub opens to passengers

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

A new exit which provides direct access from platforms to the city centre has opened at Birmingham New Street station.

The southern hub provides exit only access to Hill Street from all platforms via the Navigation Street footbridge and marks the near completion of the entire redevelopment of the station.

Earlier this month the upgrade of platform 11, the final platform to be refurbished, was completed as the final pieces of the £750m jigsaw are put into place.

Patrick Power, Network Rail’s Birmingham New Street station manager said: “Birmingham New Street is a station that the people of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands can be truly proud of. The station is no longer a blocker to moving around the city centre on foot and this new southern exit means passengers can now access all corners of the city centre with ease.

“Along with the platform refurbishment completed as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan, the station has been completely transformed. We are continuing to do all we can to make it even better so passengers and visitors to the city get the best possible impression of the railway and Birmingham.”

The reopening of platform 11 sees all 12 platforms open at the station for the first time in five years. All 12 platforms are brighter and de-cluttered with improved step-free access to both ends of the platforms and concourse. The stunning atrium and concourse continue to be the focal-point of the transformation with even better facilities now than when the station opened just over a year ago.

The investment and transformation, part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, is already delivering significant passenger and wider city benefits. Passenger satisfaction has increased steadily since the redevelopment, reaching 88% at the last survey – the highest result the station has ever received.

The area around the station is already seeing investment with new bars, shops and restaurants opening and further developments planned. A 26-storey hotel near the station’s entrance on the southside of the city centre has recently been granted planning permission.

Birmingham City Council leader Cllr John Clancy said: "This latest step in the spectacular transformation of Birmingham New Street station offers passengers even better access and comes as the city prepares to welcome a huge number of festive shoppers and visitors to the Frankfurt Christmas Market.

"The new-look station is the gateway to a confident city with a growing reputation as a destination city for tourists and investors."

Work will continue until Christmas to complete the outside of the southern hub and the area around it. There are plans to refurbish the outside of Navigation Street footbridge, where new cladding will be applied to bring it in line with the new-look of the station. This work is currently being planned so it can be completed without causing disruption to train services in and out of the station.

Meanwhile, Network Rail has today advised passengers to check before they travel ahead of railway upgrade work planned over the Christmas period. Passengers can visit nationalrail.co.uk/Christmas for detailed service information.