The Government funds Leicester City Council to transform railway station

By Shantelle Gondo

Leicester City Council has been funded with almost £18million of Government funding to transform the Leicester railway station.

In alignment to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund towards a £22million scheme to remodel the train station’s main entrance, the city council has successfully bid for exactly £17.6 million.

The transformation is expected to begin in early 2023 and be completed by mid-2024.

Leicester railway station will be reinstated to its Victorian glory, as a new entrance will be formed facing the city centre, as well as booking halls made smaller to create space for passengers.

The City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “The award of almost £18million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund is a tremendous endorsement of the importance of this project.

“The railway station is a beautiful building but badly in need of improvement to meet the modern needs of a city the size of Leicester.

“This exciting project will make a huge difference, helping to transform the area into a vibrant gateway that will make a major contribution to Leicester’s prosperity.”

The area outside the old train station entrance will be transformed, as ramps and steps will be inserted leading to a new main train station entrance.

The other station entrances located near London Road will be transformed into a new retail plaza as well as food and drinks.

The Head of Infrastructure & Property at East Midlands Railway, Mark Lambert, said: “This is fantastic news for the people of the city and our customers that use Leicester station, we look forward to working closely with those involved.”

As well as the railway station transformation, the city council was awarded another £8.5million to develop and remodel old factory buildings at Pilot House and £19.4million for three other projects.

For more information about this scheme to remodel the railway station, visit: https://news.leicester.gov.uk/news-articles/2021/october/leicester-s-railway-station-revamp-plans-get-major-cash-boost/?fbclid=IwAR2EAVpIDWo4MolNndK7CSTfrZ_lou9WK8u5L9NdP6oX8fPwVOOEHSv8oXg