Council hopes to finish station revamp by mid-2029.
Leicester City Council anticipates that a delayed proposal to renovate the city’s train station would be completed by the middle of 2029.
The authority is overseeing a £22.6 million project to renovate London Road station but has been unable to locate a contractor to complete the work.
Sir Peter Soulsby, the city’s mayor, said there would be another attempt to pick a business in the new year.
“I am frustrated because this is a very important project,” Soulsby told the BBC. “The train station serves as the city’s gateway, and it is just not up to date.
The building still works so there is not overwhelming pressure to get it done but the scheme has been problematic.”
‘It wasn’t a good time’
Planning authorisation for the station’s restoration was granted in October 2024.
According to the designs, the station’s entrance will relocate from London Road to Station Street, which will be closed to vehicles and replaced with a new pedestrianised public plaza.
The station’s existing covered entrance hall will be transformed into a new plaza for shopping, dining, and drinking. Soulsby stated that only one firm initially bid for the task, and no contract was signed.
“I’m told it wasn’t a good time to do it because there were lots of other railway projects on and most other contractors had their books full,” according to him.
“I’m told times have improved and contractors are now interested in doing it and we can, with confidence, invite their tenders early in the new year and get them on the ground next year.”
IMAGE SOURCE, LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL
If a settlement is reached in early 2026, the council anticipates that the project will be completed by mid-2029.
The council has already demolished the 1930s art deco Parcel Yard tavern, which stood close to the station, as part of the preliminary work for the major phase of the project.
Soulsby stated that he has spoken with Network Rail, which owns the station building, about undertaking some short-term corrective work.
He continued, “The area of the station that was exposed when the pub came down does not look well.
I suppose we should clean that up.” The council has committed £5 million to the initiative, with the Department for Transport contributing £17.6 million, but Soulsby believes inflation will drive up prices.
He said: “That’s why we need to get on with it as soon as possible.”
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