City station revamp moves forward

The new station would have better links with the city's trams

A multi-million pound plan to transform Nottingham railway station has moved a step closer.

The project, known as The Hub, has been awarded a £1.5m development grant from the East Midlands Development Agency and the Greater Nottingham Partnership.

The revamp, also being funded by the city council and Network Rail, would see the station also cater for trams, taxis and buses.

Project leaders will now draw up a design for the scheme.

The revamp would see the station's taxi rank turned into an indoor foyer with more shops.

A new travel centre would also be created along with a multi-storey car park, new toilets and passenger information points.

'Vital next step'

John Watson, chairman of the project's board, said: "We now need a 21st Century station serving a 21st Century city.

"This is a vital next step in the process. We'll be taking ambitious planning proposals and converting them into the details that can be used by construction companies to tender for the work."

A city council spokesman said the proposals were expected to be a catalyst for the development of sites surrounding the station and are part of wider plans to improve the south of the city.

More than five million passengers use the station each year.