Photos show a new £23m entrance to Temple Meads station as the project remains on track to open in 2026

Work on a new £23 million east entrance to Bristol Temple Meads is well underway as the regeneration project reaches a new stage. The project, which will be one of three new entrances to the station, is being funded by a £94.7m share of central government money as part of the huge redevelopment of the temple quarter around the station.

The entrance will open directly into the University of Bristol’s new £500 million enterprise campus, for which construction work has started in 2023. The East Entrance building’s main steel structural frame has been fully installed, measuring six meters high and 20 meters wide in Bovine. Market Road Complex, with the top visible from Platform 15.

It was delivered at the end of March and was erected on site, with contractor BAM Nuttall working around Storm Kathleen to put steel in place. Network Rail says the first stage of fit-out has now started, with glazing and cladding to follow in the coming months.

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The building will open alongside the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus in 2026. Commencing on site in late 2023, construction of the entrance included extending the subway by excavating through the retaining wall and under platforms 13 and 15, followed by drainage and foundation.

The Temple Quarter regeneration program is a joint effort between Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Homes England and Network Rail, which will transform 130 hectares of land around the station. It will provide 10,000 new homes and thousands of new jobs, alongside new public spaces, low-carbon infrastructure and commercial uses. Initial preparatory work for the delivery of the new entrance was carried out in 2021 with £22m of WECA funding.

Network Rail’s director of industry programmes, Daniel Round, said: “Our forecasts show that by 2030 – just four years after opening – 2.5 million people a year will be using this new entrance in and out of the station . This will make a real difference and really open up this part of the city to new rail passengers as well as our existing customers.”

Dan Norris, Mayor of West England Tube, said: “I am delighted to see this brand new entrance to Brunel’s iconic station taking shape. It’s all part of one of the most exciting regeneration projects in Europe, which I’m proud to be managed by the West of England Combined Mayor’s Authority and will create a real gateway to the region.”

Barra Mac Ruarí, Director of Property at the University of Bristol said: “Progress on the new east entrance to Bristol Temple Meads is great to see. Opening directly onto University Square, it will integrate the new campus into its surroundings and improve connectivity and accessibility in the area. The station improvements will encourage our students, staff, partners and community to use sustainable travel options.”

Stephen Peacock, CEO, Bristol City Council said: “The structural completion of the East Entrance is another sign of the momentum behind the Bristol Temple Quarter programme. Alongside the recent creation of BTQLLP and the fantastic progress on the university campus, this is a fantastic point to reflect on how far we have come as we look forward to delivering new homes, jobs and opportunities for the city-region. ”

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