- Ambitious plan to transform Wales' busiest railway
station gets final go-ahead from UK Government
- Passengers at Cardiff Central to benefit from new
entrance, larger concourse, and improved accessibility, thanks to
£77.8 million of UK Government investment
- Improvements form part of investment in more trains and new
stations across Wales supporting jobs and breaking down barriers
to travel
Passengers travelling through Cardiff Central will benefit from a
revamped station, thanks to over £77 million approved by the
Government, announced today (Thursday 4 December).
The project will see the complete transformation of Wales'
busiest railway station, with a new landmark southern entrance, a
larger main concourse and extended platform 0 to increase
capacity at the station that welcomes over 35,000 people a day -
and thousands more during major events such as the Six
Nations.
This funding takes the UK Government total for the project to
modernise Cardiff Central station to £77.8m, which is supported
by an additional £40m from Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and
£21m from the Welsh Government.
This project is part of a wider £445m investment from the
Department for Transport to deliver improvements to rail
infrastructure across the whole of Wales including increased
train services to Cardiff, new stations in South Wales, and
increased services on the North Wales Mainline and
Wrexham-Liverpool line.
Alongside the funding, the final business case for the
transformation has been approved, giving the green light for work
to get underway in Spring 2026, with the majority of the work
completed by 2029.
Once completed, the transformed station will also improve links
between the rest of Wales and the wider UK, breaking down
barriers to travel, jobs and opportunity, kickstarting economic
growth.
, Secretary of State for
Transport, said: "The improvements to Cardiff Central
will transform the experience of the millions of passengers who
use the station every year, welcoming people through a spacious,
modern station befitting of the city it serves.
“Not only will this improve experiences for passengers, but it
will also improve capacity in the station and unlock connectivity
with the rest of Wales and beyond – supporting jobs and helping
to kickstart economic growth.”
Plans also include enhanced ticket gates to improve access and
flow around the station and eases links with other ways to
travel. Other customer benefits include improved waiting areas,
enhanced retail offerings and cycle storage facilities.
, Secretary of State for Wales, said: “The UK
Government is investing in improving rail services in Wales with
new stations, faster trains and more services connecting people
with the well-paid jobs we are creating across the country and
driving our economic growth.
“Our contribution to the funding of the redevelopment of Cardiff
Central Station is a key part of this programme and will see
Wales's biggest station transformed to improve the experience of
passengers by alleviating congestion and making the station more
accessible.”
The improvements will alleviate overcrowding and congestion,
enabling better accessibility for those with reduced mobility.
Alongside the £445m investment, the Government is providing a
further £50m for a new Cardiff Metro station with a direct
connection to Cardiff Bay, paving the way for future extension to
the north-west and east of Cardiff.
, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North
Wales, said: “This is a major milestone for our
ambitious plans to upgrade Cardiff Central station.
“The joint £140m investment between Welsh Government, UK
Government and Cardiff Capital region will modernise and enhance
the station, benefitting passengers and accommodating our
ambitions for long term growth.
"This demonstrates how two governments working in partnership can
address historic underfunding of Welsh rail and I look forward to
more major transport developments progressing across Wales."
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for
Wales, said: “The approval of the full business case
gives us the green light to forge ahead with our plans to deliver
much needed enhancements to Cardiff Central station.
“The investment of up to £140 million means we can deliver
improvements to the station to make it fit for a capital city and
sustain future growth, providing a better experience for our
station customers.
“Working with our design and build contractor, we can now move
forward with the start of construction works next year.”
