New University Station buildings open their doors this Sunday

University Railway Station’s impressive new buildings open their doors to passengers for the first time this Sunday (28th January).

With new wider entrances, stairways and exits serving the neighbouring University of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, more open space to circulate and wait, lifts to the platforms, a larger ticket office and better customer facilities it will offer a vastly improved experience for passengers on the Cross City Line.

The main pavilion building also includes space for a café or convenience shop, due to be announced soon, and an NHS facility on the first floor. University is one of the region’s busiest stations with up to 3.5 million passengers a year who, until now, have passed through a tiny station designed and opened in 1978 to accommodate just 500,000 journeys per year. This existing building is being retained as an exit only.

Visitor numbers have rapidly increased over the last decade as a result of the expansion of both the university and the redevelopment of the hospital and, anticipating further growth in visitors the new station has been designed to accommodate up to 7.2 million passengers.

The opening follows a complex three-year construction programme during which the station remained open and operational. This included installing new bridges over both the live railway line and the Birmingham to Worcester canal. The new station includes two buildings, or pavilions, one of which is based on the island between the rail line and canal for which materials had to be craned over.

The first stage of the development saw longer and wider platforms, complete with new canopies completed ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

University Station partnership from left: Rob Goode (West Midlands Trains), Trevor Payne (University of Birmingham), Neil Gaskin (Network Rail), San Ting Gilmartin (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust), Liz Clements (Birmingham City Council), Paul Fountaine (SLC-AECOM Joint Venture), Amanda White (TfWM and WMRE) and James Hindes (VolkerFitzPatrick)

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) have led the development in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, the NHS University Hospitals Birmingham Trust, Birmingham City Council, the Department for Transport, Network Rail, West Midlands Trains and Cross Country Trains.

TfWM were supported by their delivery partner SLC-AECOM Joint Venture and VolkerFitzpatrick who worked on the design and construction of the station.

TfWM is putting more than £2 bn investment in improving our public transport infrastructure and services over the five years to 2027, including building five new railway stations, developing new Metro extensions and creating more bus priority and cycle routes across the region.

Cllr Liz Clements, Birmingham City Council cabinet member for transport, said: “This is fantastic news and a really good example of partnership working to provide a station that is suitable for such a busy and growing area. Investment in our railways and wider public transport network must continue if we are to prioritise people and communities over private vehicles and keep our city and region moving.”

Professor Adam Tickell, University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor, said: “The station is an important gateway to the University, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and our local community. As the University continues to grow, this new, more accessible space creates a welcoming experience for all.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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