Council hopes to finish station revamp by mid-2029

Leicester City Council has said it hopes a delayed scheme to revamp the city's railway station will be completed by the middle of 2029.

The authority is leading a £22.6m project to refurbish the London Road station but has been unable to find a contractor to carry out the work.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said there would be a fresh attempt to appoint a firm in the new year.

"I am frustrated because this is a very important project," Soulsby told the BBC.

"The railway station is the gateway to the city and frankly it is not fit for the 21st Century.

"The building still works so there is not overwhelming pressure to get it done but the scheme has been problematic."

Planning permission for the station refurbishment was granted in October 2024.

Under the plans, the station's entrance will move from London Road to Station Street, which will be closed to traffic and replaced with a new pedestrianised public plaza.

The station's existing covered entrance hall area will be turned into a new plaza for shopping, food and drinks.

Soulsby said only one firm initially bid for the job and no deal was signed.

"I'm told it wasn't a good time to do it because there were lots of other railway projects on and most other contractors had their books full," he added.

"I'm told times have improved and contractors are now interested in doing it and we can, with confidence, invite their tenders early in the new year and get them on the ground next year."

If a deal can be agreed in early 2026, the council has indicated a timeline that would see the project completed in mid-2029.

The council has already demolished the 1930s art deco Parcel Yard pub, which stood next to the station, as part of preparatory works for the main phase of work.

Soulsby said he had held discussions with Network Rail, which owns the station building, about doing some short-term remedial work.

He added: "The part of the station which was exposed when the pub came down does not look good. I think we would like to tidy that up."

The council has committed £5m to the scheme, with £17.6m from the Department for Transport, but Soulsby said inflation could drive up costs.

He said: "That's why we need to get on with it as soon as possible."

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