NEW PLATFORM OFFICIALLY OPENED

Wednesday 7 Jan 2009

NEW PLATFORM OFFICIALLY OPENED

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The recently completed third platform at Manchester Airport’s railway station has been officially opened by the Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Secretary of State for Transport.

Before he unveiled a plaque (on 8 January) to mark the opening, Mr Hoon was shown a time-lapse DVD of the bridge slide, one of the major elements in the project.

The new £15m third platform at the airport station is crucial to the success of the new west coast timetable as it relieves congestion on the approaches to Piccadilly. It was completed nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.

Peter Strachan, Network Rail’s route director said: “Mr Hoon came to look at the work while it was still in progress so it is a pleasure to welcome him again to see and officially open the finished platform.

“With over two million passengers a year using the station, and with all the extra services using the west coast route, this platform was absolutely essential. It is a testament to real partnership working that everyone pulled together in the way that they did to achieve an early completion.”

Neville Chamberlain, Chairman of The Northern Way said: “Manchester Airport is the North’s premier airport and we are delighted that the third platform at the Airport’s station is now in operation. Previous analysis indicates that this increase in the capacity of the Airport’s station will result in employment and productivity benefits worth around £20 million. Improved international connectivity is essential to a successful northern economy and better, reliable rail access to Manchester Airport is a key component of that.”

Andrew Cornish, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “Although it is an individual’s choice as to how to reach the Airport, we have a lot of influence over that choice. During the last 15 years, and alongside our partners, we have continued to invest over £100 million in the public transport facilities that service our airport. The siting of the station in the middle of the airport has enabled us to put rail at the core of our public transport network making us one of the few airports outside the South East with direct services to an on site station. The airport is in a favourable position compared to those regional airports that still rely solely on road access and the opening of the new platform continues to strengthen the modes offered.”

Councillor Keith Whitmore, Vice Chair of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, said: “This project has been an unqualified success and shows just what can be achieved by working in partnership. It was delivered early and under budget and serves as another example of our ability to deliver landmark facilities.”

Work started just over a year ago and the final critical element was the running of a test train on the new line. This was successfully carried out without a hitch, which meant the last little pieces of the jigsaw, such as re-numbering the existing platforms and changing the wording on the station information screens, could be fitted into place to bring the platform into use nearly two weeks early.

Notes to editors

Milestones 1. Work started just over a year ago with the installation of equipment that allowed the overhead power lines to be switched off to individual platforms, rather than closing the station as a whole when work needs to be carried out. That meant the work had virtually no impact on train services which could continue to run while the platform was built. 2. The next major hurdle was to ‘slide’ a new bridge section into position to carry Outwood Lane over the new platform. The road is the main route into and out of Terminals 1 and 3 and passes over the end of the station platforms and railway tracks. 3. The concrete bridge section, similar in shape to an upside down letter U, was built alongside the existing platforms in an area where the railway embankment had been excavated. The road was closed for two weeks in February so the site could be prepared. The bridge was then jacked up on a multi-wheeled vehicle and slid into position. The operation was such a success that the road was reopened four days early and that set the tone for the rest of the project. 4. Once the bridge was in place the platform itself had to be built where the bridge section had previously been, and the new track, signalling and overhead power line had to be installed and joined up to the existing railway. 5. The final critical element was the running of the test train. • The £15 million project was jointly funded by Network Rail, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and The Northern Way, and Manchester Airport plc has leased the land needed for the extra platform to Network Rail. Train services are provided by Northern and First TransPennine Express • The Northern Way is a unique collaboration between the three Northern Regional Development Agencies: Yorkshire Forward, Northwest Regional Development Agency and One NorthEast • Working on behalf of the main contractor Carillion, Tony Gee and Partners (TGP) carried out the permanent and temporary structural work and highway design for the scheme. TGP also provided the design of the new station platform and canopy

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