en.Wedoany.com Reported - The National Railway Museum has received additional government funding to cover legal and engineering cost overruns arising from the permanent closure of Leeman Road, enabling the Central Hall redevelopment project to proceed to the construction phase. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the investment on site, which builds on the original funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2019, allowing the Science Museum Group to immediately sign the main construction contract, with work set to begin next month. The specific amount of funding has not been officially disclosed.
The additional government funding covers the increased costs resulting from the permanent closure of Leeman Road, which previously divided the 45-hectare brownfield site where the museum is located. The funds, allocated through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, are used to cover the premium costs of Central Hall. Designed by award-winning architecture firm Feilden Fowles, the building is a bespoke circular structure inspired by historic locomotive turntable sheds. Central Hall will house "Railway Futures: The Porterbrook Gallery," a Futures Gallery, and for the first time provide step-free access throughout the museum, serving as a key component of the broader York Central redevelopment plan.
Although the specific funding amount for the National Railway Museum has not been disclosed, the UK public sector construction pipeline is accelerating. Concertus recently launched a £1 billion framework for building and construction services across England, while the Ministry of Defence is advancing a £35 million vehicle inspection facility upgrade project. Meanwhile, rail passenger numbers are recovering significantly, with travel on the Mid Cornwall Metro service increasing by 25% in its first week of operation. According to Skills England, the country will need an additional one million construction workers over the next decade.
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