Inside the plans to revamp London Liverpool Street station

London Liverpool Street station has taken one step closer to a major revamp.

Changes at the UK’s busiest railway station have been revealed to target ‘significant overcrowding’ and to future-proof the transport hub, Network Rail said.

Liverpool Street station, which has links to the Elizabeth line and Stansted Express and carries around 90,000,000 passengers annually, currently has just one public lift.

Plans for the major revamp have been in the pipeline since 2023, but they have now progressed further after Network Rail submitted a revised plan yesterday.

The upgrades were unveiled as the station has been plagued by overcrowding, causing difficulties for people with disabilities, luggage and small children and a ‘confusing’ layout for passengers, Network Rail said.

Here is a roundup of all the changes coming to Liverpool Street station if plans are approved.

Full list of Liverpool Street 2025 changes

Network Rail said the changes submitted to the City of London are designed to ‘future-proof’ the station for 200,000,000 passengers in the decades ahead.

The latest tweaks to the plans mean the size of the new office tower block above the station will be reduced, a redesign of the station entrances to better match the historic architecture and landscaping and benches around the Kindertransport Statue.

These upgrades have also been revealed inside the station:

• A large new concourse is set to double the space to reduce crowding
• Eight new lights for step-free Tube access
• Ten new escalators instead of the previous four
• Additional ticket barriers to reduce wait times
• Improve step-free access at the station and Underground
• New toilets and family facilities on all station levels
• Improved signage
• More bicycle storage that is secure
• Variety of cafes, restaurants and shops
• New landmark entrances on Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Exchange Square

The redevelopment proposal also includes a new five-star hotel operated by Hyatt as part of the Andaz Hotel – a Grade II listed building next to the station.

The office tower block will be ‘realigned to better reveal the Grade II listed Andaz Hotel,’ Network Rail confirmed.

However, the plan has not been without drama.

A new lead architect ACME has been brought in to replace Herzog & de Meuron, according to BBC News citing the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Reaction to the Liverpool Street redevelopment plan

Meanwhile, heritage campaigners, such as the Victorian Society continue to oppose the scheme, which first envisioned a 21-storey skyscraper before the height was cut back.

Historic England bosses said the previous plan was ‘oversized and insensitive.’

Network Rail said that three-quarters of nearly 2,000 public consultation comments were supportive of the plan.

Ellie, from Chelmsford, said: ‘Accessibility needs to be at the heart of the changes. It’s a very busy station and often if feels like disabled people’s needs are forgotten.’

Robin Dobson, a group property director for Network Rail, said: ‘We’re proud to be leading the submission of a transformative scheme for the redevelopment of London Liverpool Street station — one that is a truly accessible and inclusive space, can support the forecasted annual passenger rise to over 200 million and deliver vital improvements to the everyday experience of passengers while respecting and celebrating the station’s historic character.

‘Following extensive consultation and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, our plans put passengers first whilst respecting and retaining the station’s Victorian features, including the iconic trainshed and the Great Eastern Hotel.’

When will the Liverpool Street changes start?

Construction is set to start in 2025 at the earliest.

The station is expected to remain open throughout the construction, Network Rail said previously.

The station upgrade will be ready around 2026, and the new commercial building with shops and offices in 2030 if everything goes to plan.

This article was first published on December 29, 2024.

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