The station has been revamped into a brighter, more spacious and fully accessible travel hub, providing a welcoming environment for visitors and athletes travelling between Loughborough and London for the 2012 Games,and to provide long term benefits for all passengers using Loughborough station.

Improvements to the station and surrounding area include:

·      New footbridge and lifts providing step-free access to all platforms
·      Extended platforms capable of accommodating 10-carriage trains (the previous platforms would only accommodate a train with five carriages)
·      Newly paved forecourt and car park as part of Charnwood Borough Council’s Eastern Gateway project
·      New cycle parking, refurbished toilets and waiting rooms
·      New ticket vending machines, updated customer information screens, new signage and booking hall improvements
·      Refurbishment of platform canopies

The work has been completed through a successful partnership between East Midlands Trains, Network Rail and Charnwood Borough Council. 

David Horne, Managing Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “The completion of the improvement scheme at Loughborough station is without doubt one of the highlights of the year for East Midlands Trains, and we’re pleased to have played our part in this successful partnership. 

“The extended platforms mean that our passengers will be able to get on and off our trains at Loughborough more easily, and without having to move to a different part of the train.  This should bring even further improvements to punctuality as passengers at peak times will be able to use all the doors on the train. 

“It’s also great news that all the improvements have been completed in time for the 2012 Games, as Loughborough University has been named as the official preparation camp headquarters for Team GB and Japan.  Not only will the newly refurbished station provide an excellent gateway for everybody travelling during the 2012 Games, it will also provide a significantly improved station for passengers in the years to come.”

Martin Frobisher, Route Managing Director for Network Rail, added: “Stations are vital gateways to the towns they serve and Loughborough is now one of which we can be very proud. Network Rail has delivered significant improvements to allow longer trains to stop here in order to allow more people to travel on the railway in the East Midlands.

“The additional works we have completed make that journey easier, through provision of cycle parking, new information screens and better access around the station. It is also a much more worthy gateway to the town with improved facilities and canopies.

“The Olympics will be an important time for Loughborough so it was essential these works finished on time. The partnership between the organisations involved has been a great success. I would thank passengers for their patience during the works.”

David Slater, Leader of Charnwood Borough Council, said: “What I love about this project is that it demonstrates brilliantly what can be achieved when many agencies, each with their own priorities and pressures, come together to achieve a common goal.

“Because of that extraordinary team work, we have been able to come along way in a relatively short space of time.

“I want to thank everyone involved in this project for their hard work in turning this once run down part of town into this modern, welcoming gateway to Loughborough and Charnwood.”