Network Rail sets £3.25bn aside for construction projects

Network Rail plans to regenerate thousands of railway stations across the UK, providing a much-needed boost for construction jobs.

Over 2,000 stations are to gain from the £3.25bn investment over the next five years. Improvement projects include new lifts, stairways, waiting rooms and platforms, as well as bigger or refurbished ticket offices and ticket halls.

Robin Gisby, Network Rail’s operations and customer service director said his company wanted to create “smarter stations”. 

"Stations are the railways' shop-front and they have been ignored for too long. With the punctuality of the railways now running at record levels and our major programme to boost capacity and provide more seats on trains underway, we can now look at other priorities and stations are at the top of the list,” he added.

Network Rail is launching the first ever nationwide stations research project, asking passengers what is important to them at their local stations and where they would like to see investment.

"Much is planned in this area over the coming years and we must invest wisely.  We shouldn't try and second guess passengers but ask them what they want from stations and what's important to them. We need to listen to passengers and use their views on stations to guide our decisions,” Mr. Gisby said.