Shortage of bids delays Leicester Railway Station revamp

How the new station will look

Plans to restore and redevelop Leicester Railway Station have temporarily hit the buffers after it emerged that just one company has bid for the job following a call for tenders last summer.

The project, which is being led by Leicester City Council, Network Rail and East Midlands Railway, attracted almost £18m in levelling up cash. However, city mayor Peter Soulsby has confirmed that only one company bid for the work, leaving contracts unsigned.

It is now thought that the job will be rebid over coming weeks. The council hopes to start work on the historic station later this year.

Soulsby told the BBC: “I’m very disappointed that we did not get a good response for tenders.

“There appears to be a sudden shortage of contractors who are able, or willing, to take on this kind of specialist project.

“That is a reflection of the state of the industry.

“I am determined that we get on with this very important project, and we will be retendering in the near future.

“We will be looking at ways we can make the contract more appealing.”

The redevelopment will include relocating the station’s main entrance from London Road to Station Street.

It will also facilitate the creation of a new pedestrianised public plaza, replacing the former traffic-congested area.

Pick-up and drop-off points, including for hackney cabs, will be relocated to a new area off Fox Street, near the revamped entrance.

The existing covered entrance hall will undergo a complete transformation to accommodate cafes, bars, or retail spaces under its glass roof.

Improved accessibility will be a key feature of the redevelopment, with a new curved ramp, steps, and lift leading to the main concourse ticket hall.

The hall will also undergo remodelling to include wider ticket barriers and more space for passengers and bike storage will be available underneath the new entrance ramp.

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