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Arup-led teams to forge transformation of Edinburgh Waverley Station

Network Rail has appointed Arup as the lead consultant to shape the long-term future of Edinburgh Waverley Station and help accommodate an expected 40 million commuters by 2024.

The engineering consultant firm will be responsible for leading a group of highly experienced engineers, architects and urban planners in developing Scotland’s second busiest station and helping manage a predicted rise in footfall.

Among the group will be architects Grimshaw and Allan Murray Architects, real estate experts JLL, cost consultants Gardiner and Theobald , heritage professionals Jura Consultants and consultation specialists Streets UK.

Led in partnership by Network Rail and City of Edinburgh Council, the Waverley Masterplan will take shape over the next twelve months. It will consider the future growth anticipated at the station, the impact of city centre developments, urban planning trends and how Waverley can be enhanced to support and encourage the future success of Scotland’s capital city.

The team will begin consultation with stakeholders in autumn before publishing a set of recommendations by mid-2019 which will establish a vision for the future of the station and will be used to phase forthcoming investments.

Alex Hynes, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, which includes Network Rail Scotland, said: “Waverley has seen its footfall more than double from 10 million to over 24 million within the last ten years and estimates suggest that it will almost double again, to 40 million, by 2024. Such a steep increase is a positive indicator of the railway’s economic influence on the city and a clear sign that further investment will be required. The Waverley Masterplan will help us to coordinate our approach and to tackle some of the issues that an increasingly busy Waverley Station raises. We’re pleased to have Arup on board to help us develop that plan.”

An options appraisal will be now developed by teams to consider short, medium and long term objectives before wider consultation is undertaken with customers, user groups and other interested parties.

Elliot Wishlade, project director for Arup added: “Occupying a critically important site within the city, Waverley Station is a hugely important gateway to Edinburgh for all rail users including both national and international visitors.  The Arup team is therefore delighted to be working with the Masterplan steering group to create a vision and a plan which not only meets future travel needs but creates new and exciting facilities, spaces and infrastructure that will make this part of the city work better and be more enjoyable for everyone.  We are looking forward to receiving inputs through the study from a wide variety of rail users, user groups, interested parties and members of the public.”

Network Rail say the Edinburgh Waverley Masterplan follows in the footsteps of other successful joint initiatives undertaken in other major city centre stations. Kings Cross/St. Pancras, Waterloo, Leeds, Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street have all been through similar processes during the last decade.

If you would like to contact Ryan Tute about this, or any other story, please email rtute@infrastructure-intelligence.com.