Full steam ahead as Swansea station revamp nears completion
THE long-awaited £7 million makeover of Swansea's High Street station will be officially unveiled on Monday.
Work began on the scheme in September 2010. It followed years of criticism about its tired look.
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Work continues on Swansea Central Railway Station
Welsh Government Minister for Local Government and Communities Carl Sargeant will join senior figures from Arriva Trains and Network Rail in officially opening the revamp of the station, which originally dates to 1850.
The project has included installing new canopies over the platforms and a new canopy over the station's main entrance.
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A glass screen wall has been built to cut draughts on the station concourse and allow light into the building.
Ticket barriers have been introduced as well as the construction of two new buildings inside the station's circulating area, including an information point.
Additional space has also been added for cyclists to store their bikes, a new ticket office built and the station frontage cleaned.
The work was said to have been crucial in sending out positive messages to visitors into the city.
Network Rail route managing director Mark Langman said: "The work to improve Swansea station is part of a series of improvements to the railways in South West Wales. The work will have a big impact on people's first impressions of Swansea and passengers will enjoy a much brighter and more comfortable station.
"Along with the Welsh Assembly Government, we are also carrying out work to redouble the line between Swansea and Gowerton, and rebuilding the Loughor viaduct, bringing the potential for more services to points west of Swansea and encouraging business growth across the region."
Transormation
Ian Bullock, customer services director for Arriva Trains Wales, said: "We are delighted with the station's transformation as the 2.2 million passengers who travel through the station each year will now benefit from a bright, secure and more pleasant rail experience.
"The station is more spacious, has a fully accessible concourse with customer facilities, comfortable waiting rooms, digital information boards, a WHSmith and Costa."
National commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has played a significant part in the transformation of the railway station.
Darren Clarke, Regional Director for Property and Asset Management services at LSH, said: "We secured the necessary vacant possession of the station's original retail units let to WHSmith and Select Service Partner, trading as Pumpkin, to allow for the planned redevelopment.
"We then liaised with the appointed architects to ensure that the new retail units being created were fit for the intended uses following redevelopment."
Comments
by newsaffair
Monday, October 01 2012, 7:09PM
“re-"SianiThomas"
Hope that you didn`t bump into "Neathboy234",when you visited High St.,rumour has it that he has been seen in that area lately!”
by Petert53
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 10:06AM
“Philosoraptor
Across the road from the station - The terminus pub has seen better, the cafe next doorand the next block heading up towards Dyfatty cpould be comp purchased. There is quite a bit of land there, sufficient for a bus station”
by Philosoraptor
Monday, September 17 2012, 2:25PM
“Peter... just where would you build this new bus station?
Care to recommend a few roads you would block off to accommodate it?”
by Petert53
Monday, June 11 2012, 3:36PM
“PhilEvs
Only just spotted your reply.
They can jump on a bus can they? Where to, the Quadrant? Where they will have to change and get a bus to where they wanted to go in the first place. Cut out the first bus by having the bus station next to the railway station - a radical proposal I know, but I understand that it's caught on in other towns and cities”
by Anon300
Monday, June 11 2012, 12:31PM
“I passed there this morning and there's not a noticeable difference I have to say!!! There's sum fancy arched thing on one side of the entrance!!!!! GREAT”
by gorseboy
Monday, June 11 2012, 12:00PM
“Peter53
Your final paragraph comment on Councillors is SO correct.Doubt the new lot will be any different.”
by westcoastswan
Monday, June 11 2012, 1:31AM
“Build a bridge from the side of the train station across to the river taweside, which will connect down to the waterfront/marina area so that travellers can bypass the city centre all togeather.”
by Petert53
Sunday, June 10 2012, 9:49PM
“gorseboy - I'm aware of when the station was built, my point is that there has been ample opportunity in the last 10 - 15 years to have reloctaed the existing bus station from it present location to the land oppsite HSS. This would have given buses easy access to Sketty and north Gower via Walters Road, access to Fforestfach, Penlan etc via Carmarthen Road and Morriston and Swansea north via Neath Road - It's called having a joined up transport plan for Swansea. Instead, we get the centre of Swansea wrecked by civil works necessary to run an articulated bus - the profitability (or not) is kept a secret from the Swansea taxpayers on the grounds of commercial sensitivity.
A golden opportunity has been missed by incompetent councillors who seem completely devoid of any forethought”
by gorseboy
Sunday, June 10 2012, 3:32PM
“Peter53
The station was built there as the Terminal for GWR in about 1850,ie WELL before buses were even thought of.
There was opportunity after the War but like most plans in Swansea they only thought of it years later.”
by Philosoraptor
Sunday, June 10 2012, 1:30PM
“High street is coming along as planned folks, phase two is on schedule to start the redevelopment this Autumn and the plans look amazing. Full of colour and artistically vibrant building fronts, with the flats being built the residents will not put up with the drug pushers, homeless people hanging around and the police will do more because there is a higher class of resident moving in.
Some might think my comment about the police is bull... but as sorry a state of affairs as it is, police do do more for a higher class of resident, it is discrimination but we unfortunately know it occurs.
Some retailers still on the High Street will remain but they will get a shop front face lift as well, they are changing everything including the street lights which will use a stylish hooked design instead of the drab usual design we are used to seeing. It's a five year project though so it won't be done overnight.
The redevelopment is called the "Swansea Urban Village". When the project started it was solely responsible for Swansea Railway Station finally getting the go ahead for it's own renovation. By 2014, we will once again be proud of our High Street.”