Department for Transport
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin marked the completion of the 550 million redevelopment of Kings Cross Station when he officially opened Kings Cross Square today (Thursday 26 September).
The 75,000 square foot public space is the final part of the redevelopment, which has seen the renovation of the original station building and its platforms and the construction of the spectacular new western concourse.
The redevelopment is one of the governments priority infrastructure investments and is a key part of its plan to give Britain the infrastructure it needs to compete in the global race.
The Transport Secretary, who was joined at the grand opening by Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Network Rail Chief Executive Sir David Higgins, said:
I have been travelling to and from my Derbyshire Constituency for years and I remember when Kings Cross and St Pancras were not places you would hang around. Now it is a destination in its own right.
The official opening of Kings Cross Square marks the completion of one of the largest station modernisation projects across our national rail network and one of the governments top infrastructure projects. With more platforms, a redesigned concourse and improved facilities, work at this iconic station has transformed the experience of thousands of rail passengers travelling into London for the better.
It has also been the catalyst for one of the largest regeneration schemes in Europe, attracting 2.2 billion of private investment and allowing the ongoing development of more than 60 acres of brown-field land into offices and retail space and the construction of 2,000 new homes for Londoners.
Major investment in our railways is just one part of a pipeline of over 100 billion worth of public investment in infrastructure projects over the next parliament announced by government earlier this year. By investing in our infrastructure we are helping build growth in our economy over the long term.