Commuters warned that Salford Central Station will close during £10m revamp

Rail passengers have been warned that Salford Central Station will close for an 11-week period next year as part of a £10m investment by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Network Rail to deliver accessibility and customer upgrades, starting in early 2025.

Salford Central will be closed from Monday, February 10, to Monday, April 21, 2025, with additional closures on Sunday, April 27, and Sunday, May 4.

Trains will not stop at Salford Central during the work. Passengers are being encouraged to plan ahead as the station improvements will lead to some disruption on people’s journeys.

To support rail passengers, ticket acceptance will be in place on Bee Network buses between Salford Crescent, Salford Central, and key city centre stations, including Manchester Oxford Road. This arrangement will run from February 10, to April 21, 2025 and on specified weekends.

Alongside the works at Salford Central, Network Rail will build a third platform at Salford Crescent station, reducing delays and improving train congestion through the busy Castlefield corridor. This work requires weekend closures between March and September 2025.

Weekend closures are scheduled for: Saturday 1-Sunday 2 March; Saturday 8-Sunday 9 March; Saturday 15-Sunday 16 March; Saturday 22-Sunday 23 March; Saturday 12-Sunday 13 April; Sunday 20 April; Sunday 4 May; Saturday 17-Sunday 18 May; Saturday 13-Sunday 14 September.

Work is expected to be complected by early 2026.

The station improvements are designed to deliver a better passenger experience and modernise Salford’s biggest railway station, supporting the growth of the city region.

The TfGM-led work, which will take place between January and October 2025, will include a new customer ticket office and modernisation of the station building.

There will be new accessible toilets built and improvements to the platform ramps and more inclusive passenger information on display, such as braille maps.

Salford Central will also include new customer information points and signage for passengers to join up with the Bee Network, Greater Manchester’s joined-up public transport and active travel network.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We’re investing to upgrade Salford Central and deliver our plans for a modern, accessible, integrated public transport system across Greater Manchester.

“These improvements are a big step forward on our journey to bringing commuter rail lines into the Bee Network by 2028, helping connect more people to new opportunities and driving economic growth across the city region.”

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, said: “The upgrades at Salford Central and Salford Crescent will provide long term benefits for our residents and commuters. This is something I have been actively campaigning on with local councillors.

“I now look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have on improving everyone’s experiences travelling into the city.”

The new upgrades at Salford Central are part of Greater Manchester’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the transport infrastructure across the city region, improving accessibility and delivering a better experience for everyone through the Bee Network.

Nathaniel Yates, rail accessibility activist, said: “The accessibility improvements planned for Salford Central are a welcome step forward. There is still a long way to go to improving access at train stations, so it is the norm for anyone using them. But it’s great to see TfGM prioritising accessibility and working to make journeys better for everyone.”

Cllr Tracey Rawlins, Bee Network Disability Advocate, and Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport for Manchester City Council, said: “This is a welcome investment and will make a tangible and lasting impact for people with accessibility issues travelling through Salford Central.

“By making small adaptions to our shared spaces we are breaking down barriers that many people with disabilities can face on a daily basis and ensuring that everywhere – rightly so – is accessible for everyone.”

Train operator, Northern, is working with Network Rail and TfGM to keep passengers informed during the work.

Chris Coleman, Industry Programme Director at Network Rail, said: “We are pleased to be working with TfGM to upgrade Salford Central station. We are always looking to improve services for our passengers, and this investment will help to make Salford Central more accessible whilst enhancing the overall experience of using the station.

“We’re sorry for this disruption, and grateful for the patience of the Salford community while these important upgrades take place.”

Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “We welcome this investment and the improved experience it will bring to our customers using Salford Central. During the planned closure of the station, customers should ‘check before you travel’ to see how their journey will be affected.”