Victoria is back on track for revamp

Oldham’s gateway to the country — Manchester’s Victoria Station, which was named the worst in the country last year — WILL be modernised despite losing out on government rescue money.

Trams from Oldham will use Victoria and, despite fears that the axing of the Department for Transport’s Better Stations fund in May meant the end of hopes of a £30 million restoration, Network Rail is preparing an announcement that work on a new roof and other improvements is to start.

“I can reassure that this scheme is going ahead despite the loss of that funding source,” said Network Rail’s Graham Botham.

Money

The work will be paid for with £16 million of Network Rail’s own money together with a contribution from Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority and a possible European Development Grant which is being pursued by Manchester City Council.

Central to the scheme is a new roof to replace the one which has been leaking since it was damaged by the IRA bomb in 1996.

The new one will be bigger than the present one to make room for future extensions to Metrolink which shares the station with the railway.