Network Rail launches consultation on plans to improve Manchester Oxford Road Station

Monday 20 Jan 2025

Network Rail launches consultation on plans to improve Manchester Oxford Road Station

Region & Route:: North West & Central [1]

Major upgrades to deliver improvements for passengers and the wider rail network are being proposed by Network Rail as part of the Manchester Oxford Road Station Remodelling Scheme. The consultation launched today (Monday 20 January), will consider upgrades including longer platforms, track and signalling improvements, as well as construction of a new station footbridge with lifts serving all platforms. Outline proposals being brought forward by Network Rail include reconfiguring the platform layout, leaving a total of three platforms each capable of accommodating longer trains.

The two, longer through-platforms will be able to take eight car trains, while a new turn-back platform will accommodate six car trains; an increase in capacity of two cars per platform. The aim of the public consultation is to give everyone the opportunity to review outline proposals and provide their views so that they can be taken into account and inform further design. Proposed track layout and signalling improvements will reduce congestion by removing conflicting train movements.

Overhead line equipment will also be upgraded, as well as over 900m of new track being laid. The remodelling scheme includes improvements to accessibility throughout the station, featuring a new footbridge with increased movement space for passengers and new lifts allowing step free access to all platforms. Wider, resurfaced platforms and improvements to existing lifts are also planned.

Key benefits of the scheme are:

Increasing the length of the platforms will mean an extra 120 seats will be available on services calling at the station.
Improving the track and signalling will increase flexibility, and so improving reliability across the regional network, supporting an increase from 12 to 14 trains per hour.
Improvements to the station's platforms and footbridge will create a more accessible and inviting environment for passengers.
Longer platforms will enable interfacing schemes, such as the Transpennine Route Upgrade, to deliver their full benefits including longer trains running on the wider network.

The design of the footbridge, staircase and canopies takes into consideration the surrounding area, including buildings of historic value, such as the Grade II listed station building and platform canopies at Manchester Oxford Road Station itself, as well as other buildings Whitworth Street and Oxford Road. Feedback is being invited on all scheme elements, such as design, construction and the impacts of the scheme on the rail network, environment and community. The first round of consultation on Manchester Oxford Road Remodelling scheme will run from 20 January to 28 February 2025.

During this period, a virtual consultation room and feedback form will be available at here [2] There will also be drop-in events to view the plans and speak with the team:

Event one: Saturday 1 February 2025, 11am to 4pm
Event two: Monday 17 February 2025, 2pm to 7pm

Venue: Friends' Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS

Pete Winters, Senior Project lead for Network Rail, said: "The Manchester Oxford Road Remodelling Scheme consultation is an opportunity for the public to hear about our exciting plans for the station, which include platform, track and signalling upgrades, alongside improvements to station accessibility. "We want to bring all station users, as well as the local community with us on the journey of improving this important station.

I urge the local community and station users to let us know their thoughts so that they can be taken into account as the designs progress." Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern in the North West, said: "We're really excited about the redevelopment of Manchester Oxford Road station and the enhanced experience this will provide our colleagues and customers. "It's an iconic station and one of the main gateways to the city and so I would encourage local residents and rail users to get involved and voice their opinion on the plans."

Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council said: "We have said for a long time that Oxford Road Station is in need of a range of improvements from easing the congestion, increasing capacity, improving reliability and ensuring that the station is accessible for all commuters. "This consultation will be a positive step in achieving those goals and ensuring that the needs of the tens of thousands of people who travel through Oxford Road on a daily basis are being met. "Any future development will be a long-term project but infrastructure upgrades like these are essential if we are to continue growing Manchester as the leading city of the North."

A second round of consultation is due to take place before the end of 2025, which will focus on environmental and construction information.

Once both consultations have been considered, Network Rail will submit the applications needed to build the scheme in 2026.

Notes to Editors

Network Rail will conduct two rounds of public consultation for the Manchester Oxford Road Remodelling Scheme. The first round of public consultation focuses on the principles of the scheme and the preferred design currently being developed. Following the consultation, Network Rail will consider all the feedback received from the local community and other stakeholders, while continuing to develop proposals.

Currently we estimate construction will close the station for just over two years, although this is subject to change. This will not prevent trains running through the station, so impacts on the wider rail network will be limited. While the station is closed, neighbouring stations will be busier than usual.

We are working with Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester City Council and station teams to identify the best ways to manage increased passenger flows at neighbouring stations during this period.

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track [3], 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts [4] and the thousands of signals [5], level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations [6] while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies [7]. Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network.

People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day.

Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway [8], so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan [9], to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

References

^ North West & Central (www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk)
^ here (manchesteroxfordroad.consultation.ai)
^ track (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ bridges, tunnels and viaducts (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ signals (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ stations (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ train operating companies (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ a safe and reliable railway (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan (www.networkrail.co.uk)
^ @networkrail (twitter.com)
^ http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/ (www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk)