Improvement works are planned for busy Manchester Piccadilly through platforms

THE TWO busy through platforms at Manchester Piccadilly station – Platforms 13 and 14 – are to be closed for a number of days over the Christmas and New Year period to allow Network Rail to carry out a series of improvements.

A £5.1 million project will see the platforms resurfaced with clearer line markings, and raised platform edges and a new drainage system will be installed. Preparatory works for the project started to appear on the platforms during November, including the erection of hoardings around a storage area for building equipment and materials.

Trains will not call at Platforms 13 and 14 at the station for 10 days between December 25 and January 3, and then also on January 22/23.

Additionally, NR is also carrying out works on the main station roof in a separate £1.5 million project, with the station closed from December 25/26 and on January 15.

The through platforms are used by up to 14 trains per hour in each direction, with Northern, Transpennine Express, Transport for Wales and East Midlands Railways trains all using the platforms for services that pass through the city. Some services will continue to run through the station during the works but will not stop, while others will amend timetables for the duration.

It is expected that most passengers who would usually join or alight at Manchester Piccadilly will board or leave at the nearby Manchester Oxford Road station instead.

Manchester Piccadilly station manager Scott Green said: “This much-needed platform upgrade will be a great way to welcome in the New Year and is an important investment to keep these very busy platforms safe for passengers.

“We have tried to plan the work so it causes as little disruption to people’s journeys as possible, but unfortunately resurfacing work like this is impossible to do without having to shut the platforms completely.

“I would urge people to please be aware of when the work is taking place and to check National Rail Enquiries to plan their journeys and find out which stations will be available to them instead.”

Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk

Tom Mcatee An overall view of Manchester Piccadilly at dusk on October 10. While most of the platforms at the stations are contained within the main station building, the busy two through Platforms 13 and 14 (seen from the lower right to the left-hand side of this image) are to undergo major refurbishment works by Network Rail over the Christmas and New Year period.