Study into New Street rebuild gets the go-ahead

A study into how Birmingham New Street station could be rebuilt has been given the go-ahead, the first formal step towards transforming one of the most criticised stations in Britain.

The feasibility study, approved in January, will look at the options for redeveloping the station and the shopping centre above it, and at how the work could be paid for.

A station bursting at the seams

New Street is the busiest station in Britain outside London and a hub for services across the country. Trains from London, Manchester, Scotland, the South West and Wales all pass through, along with local services across the region.

The station was rebuilt in the 1960s, when the old Victorian station was demolished and replaced with a concrete structure buried beneath the Pallasades shopping centre and a multi-storey car park. It was designed for far fewer passengers than it handles today, and the number of people using it has grown steadily in recent years.

The result is a station that many passengers find dark, cramped and confusing. Platforms are crowded at peak times, the concourse is often packed and there are few places to wait. Safety campaigners have warned about overcrowding, and passengers regularly complain about the lack of natural light and the poor state of the building.

In 2003, readers of Country Life magazine voted New Street the second biggest eyesore in the country, a verdict that few in Birmingham were inclined to argue with.

What the study will do

The study will examine the options for rebuilding the station, from a modest refurbishment to a complete redevelopment. It will look at how many more passengers the station could handle, how the concourse could be opened up, and how the station could be better connected to the streets around it.

Planners are also keen to improve the station's surroundings. At the moment it is hemmed in by roads and buildings, and many visitors arriving in the city get a poor first impression when they step out onto the streets.

The city council, Network Rail and regional bodies are working together on the plans, which have become known as Birmingham Gateway. The city council has already backed the principle of a major redevelopment.

Who will pay?

The biggest question is money. A full rebuild would cost hundreds of millions of pounds, and the government has yet to commit any funding. Supporters hope the study will make a strong case for investment, showing the benefits to the economy of the whole region.

Business leaders say a modern station is vital if Birmingham is to compete with other major cities for investment. They point out that the city centre has been transformed in recent years, with the new Bullring, Brindleyplace and the Mailbox, but that the station has been left behind.

Rail passengers' groups have welcomed the study but say they want to see action, not just more reports. Plans to improve the station have come and gone before without any real change.

The study is expected to take several months, and its findings will shape the next stage of the plans.