New timelines have been announced for the next stage of upgrades at Central Station.
Queensland Rail’s CEO Nick Easy said a contract for the supply, installation and maintenance of new escalators would be awarded in the coming weeks.
“The major escalators connecting Central to the Anzac Square Arcade will be the first to be replaced,” Mr Easy said.
“This work is expected to start in early 2020.
“The replacement of lifts to platforms 1-4 will start later this year too.
“Escalator and lift replacement works will continue throughout 2020 and 2021, as well as the replacement of overhead line equipment on platforms 1-4 which needs to happen before we can start platform raising works.”
Mr Easy acknowledged the staged upgrade of Queensland’s busiest rail station would take longer than the timeframes initially predicted.
“Every train service on our network passes through this location every day,” he said.
“More than 21 million customers move through Central Station each year, so upgrades to lifts, escalators and platforms needs to be carefully sequenced and planned.
“The station’s back-of-house facilities were upgraded in 2017 and we refurbished the station’s concourse and platforms in 2018 including the replacement of roof sheeting, column cladding, new lighting and fans and painting.
“The upgrade program was put on hold in 2018 ahead of the Commonwealth Games to ensure the station was fully operational for the event.
“Since then, we’ve revised the delivery strategy for the remaining works to minimise disruption to commuters and services as much as possible.
“We’ve also revisited plans to change the roofing and façade on the outer concourse of Central Station that were shown in the project’s initial artist impressions.
“Given the importance of the station’s heritage building and clock tower, external changes to Central Station’s facade will need to be considered in accordance with future planning and development activities for this area of the city.
“We thank customers for their patience and are committed to delivering these improvements through the revised schedule.”
The next stage of the revised upgrade program will involve:
– the replacement of lifts to platforms 1-4 will start in late 2019
– the replacement of the outer concourse escalators will start in early 2020
– overhead line equipment replacement on platforms 1-4 will start in mid-2020
– the replacement of the lift to platforms 5/6 and the replacement of the outer concourse lift to Ann St will start in mid-2020
– the replacement of the escalators on platforms 5/6 will start in late 2020
– platform upgrade early works will start in early 2021
– platform upgrade design will be finalised by early 2022
– main platform upgrade works will start in mid-2022
– the replacement of escalators to platforms 1-4 and the installation of an additional escalator to platforms 3/4 will commence in early 2023, in line with the platform upgrade.
