Passengers at Rugby are set to benefit as Network Rail begins a project to improve facilities at the station and relieve a historic rail bottleneck.The £190 million investment is part of Network Rail’s £8 billion upgrade of the West Coast Main Line. 
The project includes:·        
A new station entrance with a purpose-built ticket hall and facilities for a café·        
Two new platforms will be constructed while the subway to access the platforms will be completely refurbished·        
New lifts to all platforms will allow full access for disabled passengers·        
New look customer information screens using the latest display technology on platforms and waiting areas·        
More capacity for services stopping at Rugby, and capability for high speed trains to pass through at 125mph, relieving the current bottleneck which restricts services to 75mph. 

The track layout through the station will be remodelled and improved while the flyovers to the north and south of the station will be completely refurbishedTom McCarthy, Network Rail’s Programme Director, West Coast, said: “The improvements at Rugby are an integral part of the project to upgrade the West Coast Main Line and provide a better service for passengers using the route.  Passengers at Rugby will notice some changes around the station as work gets underway but we will work with train operators to ensure they stay informed and disruption is kept to a minimum.”Jeremy Wright MP for Rugby & Kenilworth visited Rugby Station this week to see the plans for himself and added:  “I am pleased to see work starting on the renovated and more attractive station Rugby needs for the benefit of commuters and visitors to the town.”

Work begins on 13 September and the station will remain open throughout the project.  Hoardings will be erected at the station entrance as the new ticket hall is constructed while there will be some changes to the traffic management system at the front of the station.  The first phase of the station reconstruction will be completed by Spring 2007 with the project to improve the track layout complete by December 2008.