As part of our strategy for rail in the North, we have big plans for Manchester Victoria - a £44m transformation of the station into a transport interchange that is safer, brighter and more spacious.
Our plans
Our plans, which will deliver a fitting gateway to the city, include:
- A new, brighter roof that allows for future expansion of the station
- An improved concourse, including a new bridge link to the Manchester Arena, making the entire station fully accessible
- Improvements to the footbridge spanning platforms 3-6 allowing for growth in passenger numbers
- Sympathetic refurbishment of the Grade II listed Victoria buildings - including the war memorial, glass dome, Soldiers Gate and the wall map - restoring them to their former glory
- A refurbished external canopy, new lighting and glazed entrances to revitalise the Victoria Buildings
- A revamp of the retail spaces and opening of new ones for a better shopping experience
- Improvements to the ticket hall and the paved station approach
- Upgraded Metrolink facilities
Old roof – new roof
As anyone who has been to Victoria on a rainy day can tell you, there's a problem with the roof. That’s why we plan to replace the old, leaking roof with a brand new, state of the art one befitting the grand design of the station buildings.
The £16m new roof is likely to be made of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) – the material used at Piccadilly station, the Eden Project in Cornwall and the swimming pool built for the Beijing Olympics, known as the Water Cube.
ETFE is lighter, cheaper and lets in more light than glass. It’s also self cleaning, making it an ideal material.