Haymarket revamp gets thumbs up

Published on Saturday 10 May 2008 11:19

COUNCILLORS have given their approval to a planned £190 million revamp of Haymarket Station.

The council's transport committee has finalised plans for a revamp of the 164-year-old station to cope with an expected doubling of passenger numbers to nine million a year in the next two decades.

Controversial moves to demolish the grade A-listed station and neighbouring Ryries Bar to make way for a transport interchange have been abandoned in favour of developing around them.

The scheme, which has no funding at this stage, features a giant glass roof over all of the new public areas. The 1.4m feasibility study has resulted in a masterplan for the area, which will be known as the Haymarket interchange, aimed at improving bus, train and tram links. Among the details of the plan are:

&#149 The station concourse and public areas nearly trebling in size to 8700 square metres.

&#149 A space in front of the station for the monument to Edinburgh's footballers killed in the First World War, currently housed next to The Haymarket Bar.

&#149 Retaining and refurbishing the A-listed station and neighbouring Ryries Bar.

&#149 New offices, shops and flats to restore the frontage on to Dalry Road and Haymarket Terrace.