Edinburgh Waverley

The Station 
Edinburgh Waverley infrastructure works 
Waverley steps
Key Milestones 
More information
Links

The station

The station was first opened in 1846 and was rebuilt between 1892-1902. It lies between the old town and modern Edinburgh, adjacent to Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Princes Street Gardens. In terms of area, Edinburgh Waverley is Britain’s largest train station outside London, with approximately 14 million passengers per year and climbing. Over the past 15 years, the number of trains has increased by 50% to over 600 per day.

Waverley Station is of critical importance to Scotland’s historic, environmental and commercial well-being, as well as being key to delivering new projects such as the reopening of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail link, the new Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line and Borders rail link.

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Edinburgh Waverley Infrastructure Works

Infrastructure works to transform Edinburgh Waverley were completed on time and on budget by Network Rail in February 2008. Fully funded by Transport Scotland, the £150 million programme has delivered what passengers need most – improved station access and capacity for more trains. This will make business and recreational journeys easier by lessening congestion, increasing the number of services and ultimately smoothing the journey for everyone.

This has been achieved by delivering the following:

• Two new, longer platforms and the reintroduction of platform 5
• Extensive track remodelling and new signalling, which will allow four more trains to come through the station per hour each way
• Extra platform capacity for longer commuter services
• A new bay platform at Haymarket station for additional services. 

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Waverley Steps

What is the proposal for Waverley Steps?

• The Waverley Steps are a key pedestrian link from the Station to Princes Street in the heart of the City Centre and hence form an important arrival point into the city
• Access to the station needs to be improved to cope with the increasing number of passengers
• As around 14,000 people use Waverley Steps each day, it is important that access is improved for those with restricted mobility as well as people with small children and luggage
• The proposed design features: a modern, landmark entrance from Princes Street; two sets of covered escalators, maintaining access to Princes Mall shopping centre; glass lifts giving access to platforms via a mezzanine bridge; and a glass and steel canopy over the newly refurbished Waverley Steps

What happens next?

• Although planning permission and listed building consent were secured in 2006, designs for this redevelopment have changed substantially through discussions with stakeholders and require amendments to planning consents as well as other permissions.
• To secure permission for these proposals, Network Rail will apply for an Order under the Transport and Works (Scotland) Act later this year. 

Consultation

Five weeks of consultation from 1 October 2008, including exhibitions on the following dates between 0830 and 1800hrs:

Click here to find out more about our proposals and to leave us your comments.

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Key milestones

Public Information and Consultation

Prior to the application for this Order, Network Rail will undertake a public and stakeholder consultation on the design. More information will be available on this site in due course.

Application for the Transport and Works Order

Network Rail intends to make an application for this Order later this year. This process includes the following stages:

• Application
• 6-week objection period
• Scottish Ministers consider all representations and initiate a) Public Local Inquiry, b) Hearing(s) or c) written correspondence
• Scottish Ministers make or refuse the Order
• In certain cases, an Order is then referred to the Scottish Parliament

For more information on the Transport and Works process, please visit http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/24105544/0

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More information 

If you have any comments or queries relating to the proposals or station works, please email here: 
waverleysteps@networkrail.co.uk

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Links

First Scotrail 
National Express East Coast  
Virgin Trains 
Transport Scotland
Passenger Focus

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