Manchester Station Reopens After £44m Upgrade

The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has officially opened Manchester Station after a £44 million upgrade.

The modernisation of the station is part of a £1bn investment programme.

Improvements include a new 8,500 sq m roof and a 60m bridge linking the station and the Manchester Area.

Other features include new shops, cafes for passengers/customers, new retail spaces and a lift.

In addition, the station now incorporates the expansion of the Metrolink tram network, with four new tram platforms and three new tracks.

The improvements were delivered by Network Rail.

Unveiling a plaque, Mr McLoughlin said the development was a "remarkable project".

The roof had leaked since 1996 after it sustained damage when a bomb, believed to have been planted by the IRA, exploded in the city centre.

Mr McLoughlin said the station was "now a symbol of opportunity, not neglect."

"The north is receiving a wave of investment in its transport infrastructure on a scale not seen for generations, with £4.5 billion in the north west alone. The benefits are already being delivered, with 71,000 more businesses in the north west than in 2010 - a clear sign our long-term plan to secure a stronger, healthier economy is working," he added.

Network Rail Chief Executive, Mark Carne, said: "For too long people travelling in and out of Manchester Victoria had to make do with a tired and dark station. The contrast today is remarkable. Manchester Victoria is modern, clean and flooded with natural light; a station this great city so badly needs. It is a key part of our £1 billion programme to modernise the railway for the whole of the north of England."

(LM/CD)