Phase one of new railway station nears completion

A date for the opening to the public of phase one of City of Wolverhampton’s new railway station will be announced next month as construction nears completion.

Works on the first of two build phases will be coming to an end in the next few weeks.

Once complete, phase one of the station will be tested and commissioned in conjunction with Network Rail, West Midlands Railway (WMR) and Avanti West Coast.

City of Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for city economy, Cllr Harman Banger, said: “A lot of hard work has been put in by all the partners on the Interchange scheme and it is heartening for everyone in the city to see the vision of the new railway station becoming a reality.

“This next period will be one of the most important, and complex, of the whole scheme where numerous stakeholders, including the train operators and Network Rail, will come together with the aim of getting the station ready to open for public use.

“There is more than £4.4bn of investment on site or in the pipeline across the city, and the railway station development is a big part of how we are re-imagining and re-inventing our city centre.”

Phase two of the programme will see the demolition of the remainder of the current station building and completion of the new build to house three more retail units, as well as staff waiting room, help point and facilities.

The new station building to serve the city will be fully open later in 2020.

Wolverhampton Interchange Partnership comprises City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC), Ion, West Midlands Combined Authority, WMR, Avanti West Coast, Network Rail, Midland Metro Alliance, Canal & River Trust, and Black Country LEP.

Cllr Ian Ward, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “It is great to see that progress is being made on the Wolverhampton Railway Station redevelopment. At the same time, we are making progress on the Metro extension along Pipers Row, which when complete will create a fantastic transport hub offering passengers seamless journeys between rail, tram and bus. It is also a catalyst for new investment in both Wolverhampton and the wider West Midlands.”

To enable delivery of Network Rail enhancement works to the pedestrian subway that leads into the rear of the station, the subway will now remain closed until phase two of the development work is complete.

A recommended, temporary pedestrian diversion route is already in place for customers wanting to access the station via Wednesfield Road.