The new station concourse at Piccadilly Railway Station in Manchester was opened for the Commonwealth Games in July 2002, and was subsequently featured as the backdrop to TV news footage during the games, and also during the train strikes. The brief was to give the station a 21st century image, improve visibility and links with the city and to improve circulation for passengers, and access for pedestrians and vehicles. To achieve this, a new larger concourse with a 7000m2 footprint has been constructed on two levels, giving clarity of location and function for the passenger. Modern engineering techniques were used to support the new monopitch roof which makes extensive use of ETFE translucent panels to maximise the daylight provision to the passenger areas. At platform level the new concourse provides approximately 2000m2 of retail accommodation, with new toilets, travel centre and passenger information facilities. At upper concourse level a new pub, and restaurants with balcony seating have been created, overlooking the trains and public areas and also with a view towards Piccadilly and the centre of Manchester. Three floors of the new north block, which sits over part of the concourse, provide enlarged and improved facilities for the various Train Operating Companies as well as providing a Management and Control Suite. A new 500-space multi-storey, long stay car park is provided to the north of the main station. The car park has a vehicle bridge link to the deck that runs alongside the existing train shed and gives access to the main concourse via the new north entrance. Traffic has now been cleared from the approach ramp to relieve congestion and provide a wide footpath for pedestrians. The free bus service linking to the centre of Manchester and occasional special buses are the only vehicles that are permitted. A new lower concourse area has been created which provides a new taxi and private car drop off and pick up area in Fairfield Street. A new service area has been created on the north side of the station, away from the public side and with direct road access. This links to an extensive undercroft below the new concourse housing large areas of plant, and new service lifts linking retail outlets with their staff and storage areas. Railtrack’s own executive is delighted with the result and they are hailing the project as one of their successes and THE way for them to deliver a project on time and budget. It may yet prove to be Railtrack’s first, possibly last and therefore most significant new station building constructed on the network during the last 40 years.