Passengers and the public now have a new outdoor seating area at Birmingham New Street station. From Friday 28 May picnic benches are in place on the eastern plaza, out of the station entrance towards the Moor Street Link and Smallbrook Queensway. It has been done so that passengers and the public can relax in the warmer weather as measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 continue to be eased. A local ice cream van will also be in place on the plaza for the first two weeks to help city trippers make the most of any bank holiday sunshine.
Passenger numbers through the station are steadily increasing. Last Saturday, 98,373 journeys were made in and out of Birmingham New Street station - around 61% of pre-pandemic levels.
Craig Stenning, station manager at Birmingham New Street, said: “We’re so pleased that more people are returning to the city and travelling more again. Birmingham New Street is right at the core of the city and we can’t wait to feel the heartbeat of Birmingham again properly. The new picnic benches will be a great space for passengers and the public to safely unwind in the summer sunshine.”
It was expected to be busy on the railway over the late May bank holiday this weekend.