A new footbridge is to be installed at Coventry Railway Station.

A 750 tonne crane has been brought in to lift the footbridge into place which will span platforms one, two, three and four as part of the £82 million Coventry Station Masterplan project.

The work will take place on Saturday evenings from 11pm to 7am on Sundays. Work will continue until Sunday, 17 January, 2021. Once the installation is completed, the crane will be removed.

Pedestrian access to the station will be maintained with traffic marshals in place to help passengers reach the station, which will remain open throughout the work, with trains operating as usual during the day and evening.

The new footbridge will increase passenger numbers and will be connected to a new multi-storey car-park and a second entrance to Coventry Station via Warwick Road.

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Coventry City Council is working in partnership with Network Rail, Avanti West Coast and other rail operators, Transport for West Midlands, Friargate JV Project Ltd and other stakeholders on the project which is on track to be completed by spring next year.

Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd has begun constructing a new station building which will feature five retail units and new passenger waiting room and toilets as well as a 633-space multi-storey carpark.

There will also be a new transport interchange connected directly to the new station building by an access tunnel under Warwick Road, highway improvements and public realm works to create a traffic-free boulevard from the front of the station to the city centre.

Councillor Jim O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council and CWLEP board director, said: "There is lots going on in the city centre at the moment with over £80 million being invested in projects that will create an important legacy for local people. At the station it's clear to see that work is cracking on but the footbridge lift is a really important stage.

"I believe that we have one of the best arrival points in to any city in the UK by train – and this extension will give us a station building to match.

"The main station building is listed – but we will be combining the best of the old with the best of the new to ensure we have a station that works for visitors and which local people can be proud of."