Plans to transform Cardiff Central railway station receive £100m funding boost

Plans to transform Cardiff Central railway station will today receive a £100m funding boost (January 15th).The station desperately needs upgrading and investment to cope with growing passenger numbers.Those numbers are expected to continue to grow with the electrification of the Valley Lines into Cardiff and the next Wales & Borders franchise providing greater capacity and more frequency of service.As a key transport hub into Wales and from the Valleys into Cardiff, passenger numbers are expected to nearly double to 22m by 2023.The regeneration of Cardiff Central will be the second project backed by the £1.2bn City Deal for the Cardiff Capital Region.Its regional cabinet — made up of the city region’s ten local authority leaders — is expected to confirm in principle later today £40m of funding towards the redevelopment of station.When factoring in ten of millions of pounds in private sector developer investment towards a station redevelopment project – ­like funding for a required new multi-storey car park immediately south of it — and backing from the Welsh Government, a £100m Welsh sourced funding pot has been assembled.Leveraging City Deal backing, alongside Welsh Government and developer support, means that Network Rail and the UK Government’s Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, should move swiftly to confirming their financial commitment.Discussions are continuing with the UK Government with a view to securing significant match funding for a project which could take a total funding package to just under £200m.