HS2 starts hunt for designers of railway stations across London and Birmingham
HS2 has launched its hunt for the architects, designers and developers who will build three brand new railway stations and revamp one of London’s iconic terminals.
New stations are set to be built at Birmingham Curzon Street, Birmingham Interchange and London’s Old Oak Common. And London Euston will undergo an overhaul to revitalise the intercity terminal.
HS2, a y-shaped rail network providing high speed rail links between London, Birmingham Leeds and Manchester, is into its second phase of development, having first been given the go-ahead in January 2012. Its first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
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Transport minister Andrew Jones said the launch of the competition was a “major step” in HS2’s development. He added:
“The winning bidders will need to ensure the stations provide the best possible customer experience. There are also huge opportunities for development near all the HS2 stations. HS2 is progressing its search for a partner to deliver new homes, shops and offices around Euston station once the core HS2 work is complete.”
Old Oak Common station will comprise of six platforms with direct trains to Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The station will also include connections to Crossrail and Heathrow.
Euston, originally built in 1837, will be revamped for the first time since it was completely rebuilt in the 1960s. It currently caters for 42m passengers a year.
Curzon Street will be built on the site of a former parcel depot in the heart of Britain’s second largest city, while the Interchange station will be situated near to the M42 and National Exhibition Centre.
Bidders are expected to be shortlisted in the summer, with contracts signed in early 2018.
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David Biggs, Network Rail’s managing director of property, hoped the development of Euston would help develop the area similar to the Kings Cross and St Pancras overhauls, “bringing inward investment and regenerating the whole area into a thriving new London quarter”.