New images showcasing how Birmingham's University railway station will look have been unveiled.
The designs, created by city practice Associated Architects, show a host of planned improvement works to the station which serves the University of Birmingham campus in Edgbaston, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and districts such as Selly Oak and Harborne (see gallery below).
The project will see a new station building constructed to the north of the existing one, 2,690 sq ft of commercial space, cycling facilities, waiting areas and a footbridge over the canal, providing a new direct link between the station and the university campus.
The West Midlands Combined Authority is leading the project and has now lodged a planning application with Birmingham City Council for the works.
The new station is expected to be completed and open by the end of 2021.
It will be a key facility for the 2022 Commonwealth Games when the University of Birmingham will host the squash and hockey tournaments.
University station opened in 1978 as part of the development of the Cross City line between Lichfield and Redditch via Birmingham city centre.
It was built to accommodate 400,000 passengers per year and is currently significantly over capacity, with transport chiefs saying it is struggling to accommodate the 3.48 million passengers who use it annually.
Yearly passenger numbers are expected to reach five million by 2022 and 7.2 million by 2043, according to documents lodged with the new plans.
