Network Rail has unveiled plans for a five-year construction project at London Bridge station, set to begin in 2013.
Subject to planning approval the development will add a new concourse “bigger than the pitch at Wembley” and located underneath the tracks, as well as two new entrances to the station on Tooley Street and St Thomas Street.
The five-year project will allow the new concourse to have natural daylight from the canopies covering the platforms, and will provide step-free access from the main concourse.
There will be space for two thirds more passengers than currently use the station, and the number of tracks passing through the station (as opposed to terminating) will increase from six to nine, allowing 18 of the planned 24 Thameslink services per hour to call at London Bridge.
The plans are in addition to improvement works currently underway and funded by the Shard skyscraper development, including a new bus station, and a new entrance and upper concourse for the station.
Network Rail says it wills seek the views of station users, local residents and businesses ahead of the submission of the planning application, and readers can find out more at networkrail.co.uk/thameslink.
The 310-metre high Shard building is scheduled to be completed in May 2012, with luxury hotel group Shangri-La set to open a 205-room hotel within the tower.
For more information visit networkrail.co.uk, the-shard.com.
Report by Mark Caswell
