Network Rail has today launched a public consultation to hear passengers’ views on the proposed £104m transformation of Glasgow Queen Street station.

The company has unveiled new designs for how the station will look as it begins an initial three-month long process to gather passenger and public views on the project.

Scotland’s third busiest station with 20m passengers a year, Glasgow Queen Street needs to expand to meet predicted growth to 28m passengers by 2030 and to accommodate the longer trains that will be running on key routes in the future.

As well as overhauling Queen Street’s rail infrastructure and operational capabilities, the redevelopment will transform passenger facilities and improve how the station interacts with the surrounding city.

The project is part of the £650m Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP), which will deliver a rolling programme of electrification across the Central Belt over the next five years and beyond.

Funded by the Scottish Government, EGIP will reduce journey times and boost capacity on key routes including the main Edinburgh Waverley-Glasgow Queen Street line.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “Queen Street station is at the heart of Glasgow’s railway network and passengers using the station should enjoy an experience befitting of that role.

“The EGIP scheme will result in 30 percent more seats and around 20 percent faster journey times on our flagship route. It’s already delivered the stunning new-look £25 million Haymarket station in Edinburgh and this complete transformation of Queen Street means passengers will benefit at both ends and at all points in between.

“Before then, we’ll see the completion of electrification of the Cumbernauld line in time for the Commonwealth Games. We’re now working with partners on the scheme to see these exciting plans come to life.”

David Dickson, Network Rail’s acting route managing director for Scotland, added: “We want to hear what passengers think of this exciting new vision for the future Queen Street – a vision of a station which better serves passengers and Glasgow and creates a landmark development in this iconic location.

“The new-look Queen Street will greatly enhance the city centre and we want the public to help inform the final design of a station that will serve their needs for years to come.”

With construction work due to begin in 2014 and complete in 2019, the project to redevelop Queen Street will:

-  Create a landmark, modern station which reflects Queen Street’s role as a gateway to the city and also as an important departure point for visitors heading north
-  Redevelop the east side of the building to extend the Buchanan Galleries and create new passengers facilities over two levels
-  Redesign the concourse to double public floor space, extend platform lengths, improve passenger circulation and enhance waiting areas, entrances and catering / retail space
-  Replace the current 1960s entrance, and the hotel extension above, with a 500m2 modern glass frontage.

The first part of the public consultation will run from today (February 25) until May 31 2014 with a second taking place between September and December 2014.

The consultation is being undertaken as part of Network Rail’s application for a Transport and Works Scotland Order to acquire the powers and permissions needed to deliver the new station.