£8m revamp plan for Aberdeen rail station
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SCOTRAIL has announced an £8 million revamp of the north-east's biggest station.
The redevelopment at the listed Aberdeen station building, to begin later this year, will see significant changes to the look and feel of the transport hub, which has sat at the heart of Aberdeen city centre for more than 150 years.
Morrison Construction will carry out the work and the train operator is working in partnership with the Railway Heritage Trust to improve facilities for customers and staff.
The revamp includes enhancement of station retail areas; improvements to the taxi rank area and enhanced cycle parking; relocation of the existing ticket office and first-class lounge; and improved visibility of the ticket office.
ScotRail added that the station entrance and connectivity with Union Square and the wider Aberdeen city centre will be improved.
Contractors will begin work on the site when it is safe to do so following the coronavirus pandemic and this will be completed in stages, with the improvements expected to take around one year to complete.
The glass roof at the station was replaced by Network Rail Scotland last year.
Kirsty Devlin, ScotRail head of projects, said: "The investment we are making in the north-east – in the redevelopment of Aberdeen station, the Aberdeen to Inverness improvement programme, and in Inter7City trains connecting Scotland’s seven cities – means it’s an exciting time for this part of the country."
Bill Reeve, Transport Scotland’s director of rail, said: "While our immediate focus is on tackling the Covid-19 outbreak, the development work for this £8 million investment can be undertaken safely now, so that we will be ready to deliver the enhanced facilities for customers and railway staff without delay when it is safe to do so.
"We know the more we make rail an attractive, safe and secure transport choice, the more people will consider using the train as an alternative to the car."
Mike Bruce, managing director of Morrison Construction North East, said: "Morrison Construction is pleased to have been chosen to carry out these works which will benefit visitors to and the people of the north-east of Scotland for years to come."
