First look inside plans to transform London’s Waterloo station

Ambitious plans to revamp Waterloo station and parts of the surrounding area have been unveiled.

The proposal aims to make the station far more pedestrian-friendly by knocking out ‘barriers’ to movement and turning traffic-heavy Cab Road into a ‘piazza’ accessible only by foot.

Concourses would also be widened and unused underground arches would be converted into shops and restaurants.

The designs were drawn up by architects from Grimshaw, who designed the western wing of the station with its iconic curved glass roof, completed in 1993.

As well as transforming the station building, they also want to add dozens of ‘enhanced walking and cycling routes’, 5,000 bike parking spaces, 1,900 square metres of new green space and hundreds of new trees around it.

The current sprawl of bus and taxi stops – widely seen as chaotic – would be moved to a new ‘enhanced interchange’ on the south-eastern side of the station with ‘easier and more direct access’.

The work needed to deliver these plans is not currently funded, and Network Rail and Lambeth Council, who commissioned them, is not obliged to carry out all the proposals.

But councillors have pledged £1.5 million to deliver some of the smaller-scale improvements in the proposal.

The two public bodies also said they are working to refine and develop the overallplan.

Grimshaw partner Kirsten Lees said the masterplan is ‘aspirational’ but ‘pragmatic’ and can be delivered in phases.

With 24 platforms, four Tube lines and several bus routes, Waterloo is the third-busiest transport hub in the UK.

Network Rail chair, Lord Peter Hendy said: ‘London Waterloo is iconic, and one of the busiest stations in the country, and it is imperative this station continues to evolve to ensure it is a world class transport hub and meets the needs of the millions of passengers that use the station each year, today and into the future.’

Ms Lees added: ‘The Waterloo and South Bank area of tomorrow will be one of London’s healthiest, most sustainable, diverse and successful centres with an integrated world-class multimodal transport and civic hub at its heart. This evolution will bring equitable change for communities, business, visitors and passengers alike.

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