Media centre

Friday 4 Aug 2006

CLEAR SKIES IN MIDDLESBROUGH AS ZETLAND HOUSE IS DEMOLISHED

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Passengers using Middlesbrough station will soon see a big improvement in the surrounding area as the final part of Zetland House is demolished.   £1.3million is being spent to replace the office block which has stood next to the station since the mid-1960s.    Dyan Crowther, route director for Network Rail which owns the site and has commissioned the work, said:  “While Zetland House served a purpose in its day, in recent years the structure became dilapidated.  I am delighted that the final stages of demolition are underway, making room for a new single storey structure, which is more sympathetic to the station building.”   More than a million passengers use the station every year.    Deconstruction work on Zetland House began in February 2006 and is scheduled to clear by the end of September.  The building is being removed in small pieces to ensure safety as it is next to a public road.   This project comes at the same time as £1 million investment in passenger facilities at the neighbouring station by First TransPennine Express.  This includes a new CCTV system, passenger information screens on every platform and new toilets.    Vernon Barker, managing director of First TransPennine Express says: “We are investing in the improvements that our passengers have told us they want to see. The station will be a much more welcoming place to travel to and from with better information, better waiting rooms, new toilets, a cleaner brighter subway and enhanced safety and security.”   Ray Mallon, mayor of Middlesbrough said:  “Middlesbrough station is the key gateway to the town and a vital cog in the Tees Valley transport network.  I am delighted to see these improvements, and the level of ongoing investment, which indicates a commitment to the town, residents and visitors.”