The first stage of a radical £25 million upgrade to York Station has begun.
Yorkshire Water have begun their works on the Queen Street slip road to divert a water main and install new meters.
It is the opening move in the scheme to transform the station frontage, provide an improved transport interchange, and revamp the public space.
The waterworks are expected to continue till mid-March. While access down Queen Street will be possible, there will be parking suspensions to allow for the work to be completed as quickly as possible.
At the end of February/early March it is expected that BT Openreach will start works opposite the station. Station Road will remain open – further details to come.
A planning application for the station revamp was approved a year ago.
It will see Queen Street Bridge demolished, a new road built outside the station, a multi storey car park built and part of the station building in Parcel Square knocked down to make way for a new façade.
The York Railway Institute band room and extensions behind the gymnasium will be demolished, the Unipart Rail Service Centre building – which lies between the station and the commuter car park – knocked down, and a new three metre-wide cycle lane created.
This major scheme will be delivered in partnership by City of York Council, Network Rail, LNER and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
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Council leader Keith Aspden said: “This is an incredibly important project for the city, as it will deliver major economic, social and transport benefits, linking with the long term development of York Central.
“Working with our partners, we hope that the York Station Frontage project will provide an enhanced and more fitting gateway to our beautiful, historic city.”
The full scheme which is valued at over £25m, is funded by the West Yorkshire-Plus Transport Fund and the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund.