Birmingham New Street: Work begins on new entrance

The new entrance will open at the end of 2012

Work has begun to build a new entrance to Birmingham New Street station.

Network Rail is carrying out the overhaul to provide better links between the city's business district and the redeveloped station.

A £598m revamp backed by Birmingham City Council, the Department for Transport, Advantage West Midlands and Centro is due to finish in 2015.

It aims to double passenger capacity and improve access to the platforms and pedestrian links across the city.

'Change beyond recognition'

The new north-west corner entrance will allow people walking from Victoria Square, New Street and Colmore Row to access the redeveloped station direct from Stephenson Street.

It will open at the end of 2012 when the first half of the new station concourse will open to passengers.

A spokesman for Network Rail said to allow construction work to progress safely it had secured agreement with Birmingham City Council for a closure of Navigation Street on weekdays.

Chris Montgomery, project director for Network Rail, said: "The north west side of New Street station will change beyond recognition over the next 18 months as we build the new entrance and continue work to clad the station in its stainless steel facade.

"With easy access to the city centre, we anticipate the north-west entrance will become one of the most popular ways to access the station."

Behind the hoardings, large parts of the old concrete-clad station building will be demolished to allow construction of the steelwork frame which will form the new station entrance.