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Part one of new Wolverhampton railway station to be completed in weeks

The first part of Wolverhampton's upgraded railway station will soon be open with work expected to be completed within weeks.

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The station is taking shape

The redevelopment of the station has been making steady progress over recent months and the first phase is almost ready, transport bosses say.

Passengers will soon be able to use the new section of the station, at which point the current building will be closed.

An opening date will be announced next month but before that happens the new station will have to be tested to ensure it is safe to use.

An artist's impression showing how the completed station will look

Building work has been taking place on the former car park out of the view of passengers, who have been allowed to continue using the station as normal

The process of opening the newly-built section to the public to allow the current station building to be bulldozed will begin over the coming weeks.

'Heartening'

Wolverhampton Council's economy boss Councillor 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 £4.4 billion 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.”

Testing and commissioning of all equipment and services such as communication systems, IT connections, building management systems, water services, lifts, lighting and CCTV will take place before the station can open to the public.

Staff training and familiarisation sessions will also be held for West Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast staff.

Signage will also be installed at the station and a clear pedestrian access route to the new entrance marked out.

Next phase

The next part of the project will see the current station knocked down to be replaced by a new building which will feature three more shops, a staff waiting room and information point. The completed station is expected to be ready later in 2020.

The redevelopment of the city's train station is part of a £150 million transport overhaul which will also includes the West Midlands Metro line being extended along Pipers Row down to the railway station.

David Golding, interim route director for Network Rail’s central route, added: “The new station will transform first impressions of Wolverhampton and we are working closely with all our partners to deliver this upgrade for passengers.

"It is a great example of how investment from outside the railway industry can provide better facilities and services for passengers while helping regenerate surrounding areas.”

The pedestrian subway that leads into the rear of the station will remain closed until phase two of the development work is complete. A temporary pedestrian diversion route is already in place for customers wanting to access the station via Wednesfield Road.