Revamped Wembley station unveiled

The new station will be able to handle 36,500 passengers an hour

The Tube station which will serve the new Wembley stadium has been unveiled after a £53m revamp.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone was joined by former England footballer David Seaman at Wembley Park station to mark the scheme's completion.

The north London station can now handle 70% more passengers, allowing 36,500 customers to pass through every hour.

Work at the site included installing staircases, all-access lifts, help points and information systems.

'Nasty and dangerous'

Mr Livingstone said: "This was one of the nastiest, most crowded and, frankly, dangerous stations in London.

"Now it will lead to one of the most stunning new vistas in London."

Referring to the delayed opening of the new £757m stadium, he added: "We hoped everyone would be streaming through here for the cup final but that was not within our powers."

Construction firm Multiplex is due to give an update this week on the progress of the Wembley project, which has been beset with problems.

Unfortunately we don't have a stadium yet Tim O'Toole LU

The original completion date of autumn 2005 was moved back to January 2006 and then 31 March.

Last month it was announced the stadium would not be ready for the FA Cup Final on 13 May.

On Monday, London Underground Managing Director Tim O'Toole said: "We were under tremendous pressure to get the station opened in time and we put our best people on this. "Unfortunately we don't have a stadium yet."

On Monday, children from the nearby Chalkhill primary school also took it in turns to take on former goalkeeper David Seaman in a penalty shoot-out in the station's new ticket hall.