Bolton station’s £4m upgrade completes

NETWORK Rail has completed a £4m upgrade of Bolton rail station.

The work has included a rebuilding of the existing ticket office and a refurbishment of the footbridge linking the station’s platforms.

A new canopy has been built which covers an open area that was created 20 years when the station’s entrance moved. The new canopy means that trains can stop much closer to the footbridge.

New passenger information screens have been installed, waiting rooms have been modernised and a new glass extension on the Manchester platform forms part of the station’s cafe area. All toilets have been upgraded and cycle stands have been introduced.

Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s route managing director, said: “More and more people are choosing the train and these improvements at Bolton will make rail travel even more attractive.

“Now passengers will have the facilities they have come to expect from a major commuter station on a key route into a city centre.”

The £4m project included a £950,000 contribution from Transport for Greater Manchester. Councillor Andrew Fender, chair of the TfGM Committee, said:  “This investment has delivered a significant improvement for passengers and makes the station a truly modern, welcoming gateway to Bolton town centre.

“These new facilities will encourage even more people to travel by train, which complements our plans for a brand new bus station next to the station.”