Network Rail Property has submitted its application to redevelop Britain’s busiest station, making it fit for the future.
Plans to redevelop London Liverpool Street station will enable it to serve over 200 million passengers a year, significantly boost London’s economy and establish a landmark gateway to the City of London.
As Britain’s busiest station, London Liverpool Street currently connects 118 million people a year within London, East Anglia and the east of England. With annual passenger numbers forecast to grow to 158 million by 2041, the plans will ensure that the station is future-proof, ready to accommodate over 200 million people in the decades ahead while enhancing accessibility to all.
The plans will turn Liverpool Street station into a destination in its own right with a new retail, leisure and workspace offer. The transformed station will improve connections to the wider City and public spaces, and provide a catalyst to deliver the City of London’s plans to secure long-term economic growth, prosperity and opportunity for London and beyond. The City’s growth plans aim to restore productivity growth to 2% a year, boost the local economy by £107 billion and create over 250,000 jobs by 2035, with an additional £32 billion in tax revenue for the Treasury[1].
In a widespread public consultation on the plans which are focussed on improving the everyday experience of passengers, nearly 2,000 individual comments were received with three out of four supporting the redevelopment proposals. The public’s top three priorities were clear, with making the station fully accessible the standout:
- Step-free access across the station
- New lifts and escalators to increase accessibility to both mainline station and London underground
- New toilet facilities, including family-friendly spaces on every level
Robin Dobson, Group Property Director for Network Rail Property said:
“We’re proud to be leading the submission of a transformative scheme for the redevelopment of London Liverpool Street station — one that is a truly accessible and inclusive space, can support the forecasted annual passenger rise to over 200 million and deliver vital improvements to the everyday experience of passengers while respecting and celebrating the station’s historic character.
“Investing in transport infrastructure is essential to unlocking future economic growth for London and beyond. This investment will ensure Liverpool Street remains a landmark gateway to the City of London for generations to come.
“Following extensive consultation and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, our plans put passengers first whilst respecting and retaining the station’s Victorian features, including the iconic trainshed and the Great Eastern Hotel.”
Transformation plans
The cost of transforming Liverpool Street station to meet future needs will run into hundreds of millions of pounds. The investment will be covered by private sector partnerships through the creation of new landmark office space above the station.
The plans to transform Liverpool Street station include:
- 8 new lifts to make Network Rail platforms and the London Underground fully accessible
- Increasing the number of escalators from 4 to 10 to enable easier access to the trains
- Increasing the size of the concourse to ease over-crowding
- Step-free access across the station and London Underground
- More ticket barriers to reduce queuing and additional waiting lounges
- New toilets, including family facilities on all levels of the station
- New landmark entrances on Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Exchange Square
- Better signage throughout, making the buses and new waiting areas easier to find
- More cycle storage, creating a safe and secure location to transfer between rail and onward destinations
- A greater variety of cafes, restaurants and shops
- Pedestrian routes up to Exchange Square
- New covered bus stop waiting areas
- Prominent new entrances and visibility across the station.
Updated designs
Following extensive consultation with key stakeholder groups, including local communities, accessibility advocates, heritage groups including Historic England, and businesses the scheme has evolved significantly in several ways including:
Enhanced accessibility
- Number of escalators increased from 8 to 10
- Larger lifts for wheelchair users
- Wider staircases and step-free access throughout
- A clear wayfinding strategy to improve navigation
- Family rooms within the station at all levels
- Quiet areas to support passengers
Architectural and heritage refinements
- Redesigned station entrances to better celebrate and connect with the historic station architecture and the historic context
- Roof design further developed in-line with original Victorian architectural principles
- Landscaping and benches around the Kindertransport Statue redesigned to enhance visibility and public engagement
- Office building realigned to better reveal the Grade II* listed Andaz Hotel
- Revisions made to reduce the height and size of the office building to positively respond to the conservation area and protected views
ACME, the scheme architect, is working with Network Rail Property to bring forward the new plans for Liverpool Street station. The new submitted scheme is based on a thorough understanding of the operational needs of the station and its historic significance.
“Liverpool Street is one of London's great Victorian stations and our proposals will make the station accessible, permeable and celebrate its function as the gateway into the City of London. We have embraced the challenge to design new entrances reflecting its position as the UK's busiest train station, and roof structures that speak to the original 1875 structures and the 1990s extension.
We are retaining the essential qualities of the existing station, celebrating elements that were previously hidden, creating sustainable new workplaces and providing spaces to expand into for generations to come. Liverpool Street station will become the world-class transport hub that the City of London and all Londoners deserve.“ said Friedrich Ludewig, Founding Director, ACME.
Image credits: Network Rail
