Perry Barr station gets new roof

Perry Barr station has a new roof in the latest stage of a major £30.9 million project.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) says this allows work to redevelop the station to move at a rapid pace, with an opening set for next spring.

The redevelopment will establish a purpose-built gateway for the Alexander Stadium which will house the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – and be more welcoming and accessible than what had been before.

When the work is finished, passengers will be able to make use of a brand new ticket office, toilets and baby changing facilities, lifts, stairs and platforms.

The station redevelopment is just one piece in a £700 million-plus regeneration of the Perry Barr area.

Deputy Mayor of the West Midlands Cllr Bob Sleigh said: “This new railway station will be a great asset for Perry Barr, the Commonwealth Games and the city as a whole. It is fantastic to see such rapid progress being made and meet some of those working on site. It is truly taking shape.”

The work on the station will be complemented by the redevelopment of a bus interchange outside the neighbouring One Stop Shopping Centre, investment in a Sprint bus route on the A34, plus new cycling and walking routes.

The railway station and bus interchange projects are helmed by TfWM, which is part of the West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA), the West Midlands Rail Executive, Birmingham City Council, Network Rail and West Midlands Trains.

Most of the funding has come from the WMCA, Birmingham City Council, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Cllr Ian Ward, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Connectivity is key for all communities, not only to reduce congestion on our roads and support our economy as we recover from the Covid 19 pandemic, but also to help us meet our climate change targets.

“So this investment in Perry Barr, through this new station and the wider £700 million redevelopment of the area, is crucial to ensure Perry Barr has a lasting legacy of better public transport links and infrastructure for the future.”

Image credit: Transport for West Midlands

Download article