Take an early look at this fly-through video of the planned redevelopment of University Station. Opened in 1978, the station is the only main line railway station in Great Britain built specifically to serve a university.
While originally designed for 400,000 passengers a year, it was used by almost four million passengers in 2018-19 heading to the University and the University Hospital Birmingham.
The redevelopment is being conducted by Transport for West Midlands and is backed by a range of partners that includes the Department for Transport, Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, Birmingham City Council and the University.
West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, says: '(The station) is overcrowded, it is not the best arrival to the University or hospital, so this is about better conditions for passengers and then a really dramatic entrance on to the University campus.'
The new station will include:
- A new station building providing access to both platforms
- A direct link with the University campus over the canal
- A doubling of platform widths to accommodate peak time passenger flows
- Canopy coverage along platforms
- Enhanced public space linking the station with existing bus stops and hospitals
It is hoped the project will be completed in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, during which the University will host hockey and squash on campus.
Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University says: 'We are tremendously excited by the prospect of an expanded University Station.
'With the millions of people who use the facility each year, this will be a valuable asset to the city’s transport infrastructure.
'Being able to provide a 21st Century station to Commonwealth Games competitors, organisers and many thousands of spectators is critical, as well as providing excellent facilities for staff and students of the future, and the local community.'