OREANDA-NEWS. The massive investment at London Bridge by the government-sponsored Thameslink Programme is transforming the Victorian station into a 21st century transport hub while continuing to serve more than 56m passengers every year – a number that is growing by around 2m each year.

A key feature of the rejuvenation programme will be the creation of a stunning new station concourse the size of the pitch at Wembley Stadium that will enable all passengers to access both Tooley Street and St Thomas Street directly, helping link together previously disconnected parts of the area and boosting opportunities for economic growth.

While work on the station transformation proceeds, development of the third London Bridge Quarter building – following The Shard and The News Building – is set to get underway this autumn, taking investment by the State of Qatar and Irvine Sellar to in excess of ?2bn.

Irvine Sellar, developer and co-owner of The Shard and London Bridge Quarter, said: “We are delighted with progress of the transformation of London Bridge station. On completion it will mean our investment in this part of London will total in excess of ?2bn and help breathe new life into the area.

 “The new station will not only complement and enhance London Bridge Quarter but it will make the visitor experience so much better. I believe the long term benefits significantly outweigh some of the short term inconvenience that such a major piece of new infrastructure inevitably creates.”

Thameslink Programme director Simon Blanchflower said: “Rebuilding a station in this way does not just improve travel, it acts as catalyst for regeneration and development. More than 140,000 people come through London Bridge station every day and when our work is complete those people will not only have a much better station, but also a place to meet, to eat and shop – along with fast and frequent trains to Farringdon, St Pancras and beyond.”

When the redevelopment is completed London Bridge Station will become one of the capital’s truly major transport hubs as it enables easy access to Heathrow Airport – through interchange with Crossrail at Farringdon - as well as direct journeys to Luton and Gatwick Airports as well as St Pancras International and destinations as diverse as Cambridge, Brighton and Peterborough.