UK: The completion of a £120m four-year project to rebuild Glasgow Queen Street station was officially marked on October 4, with a celebration attended by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Delivered as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, the modernisation of Scotland’s third-busiest station was undertaken by Transport Scotland, Network Rail, ScotRail and main contractor Balfour Beatty. Arup provided a range of services including supporting the planning process, acting as lead designer and devising a construction methodology which allowed the station to remain operational throughout as well as identifying significant time and budget savings. Designs were developed by BDP and IDP Architects, and around 70% of the budget was spent with suppliers within a 65 km radius of the station.
Buildings dating from the 1970s were demolished to create space for a larger concourse, while making the station more visible. The new façade features 310 glass panels, contemporary finishes and enhanced wayfinding. The station is now fully accessible, including lifts from Queen Street and step-free access from Dundas and North Hanover streets. There is a new travel centre and toilets including Changing Place facilities.
Platforms were extended to accommodate eight-car Class 385 EMUs, in conjunction with the electrification of the Edinburgh – Falkirk – Glasgow main line.
‘We are incredibly proud of this new station and the modern, green railway it symbolises’, said Alex Hynes, Managing Director of Scotland’s Railway. ‘The extended and electrified platforms at Glasgow Queen Street and the faster, longer, greener trains they support will make sure our railway is ready to play a role in combatting the challenge of climate change and its impact on how we live and work in the future.’
Sturgeon said the project was ‘a shining example of how we can modernise historic and iconic stations, offering greener transport hubs that are more attractive to commuter, business and leisure markets alike’.
