The Darlington Station Project 2025

Work is under way to transform Darlington Station to improve the region’s local and national transport links, to tie it even more closely to the town and massively upgrade its infrastructure.

The Government has recently confirmed a commitment of £93million to redevelop the station – and the scheme has been backed by £33million from the Tees Valley Combined Authority. This, combined with other commitments, takes the total funding for the project to almost £140million to date.

Buildings are now being cleared to make way for an extension to the station, with the old and new sites linked by a bridge joining the historic train shed with the modern facility.

The station redevelopment includes a multi-storey car park, transport interchange and gateway entrance connected to Central Park. Two new platforms will be created on the station’s Eastern side to accommodate current services and future services, to improve the frequency and reliability of services, and improve connectivity along the East Coast Main Line and across the region.

The transport interchange will make it easier to access the station. It will also help to connect to other transport such as local buses.

There will also be cycle lanes and shelters – and the multi-storey car park will be created adjoined to the new station building.

Once finished, there will be secure parking for over 600 cars with disabled bays and electric car charging points available.

The LNER long stay car park will temporarily move to the former cattle market site on the west of the station to allow project work to take place.

An upgrade to the Victoria Road entrance and car park pick-up and drop-off points on the western side of the station are also planned, with new road layouts, wider pavements, and a boost to walking and cycling access to make the station easier to reach and improve connections with other types of transport.

It is expected the project work will be complete in time for the 2025 Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentennial celebrations.

The image above shows how the new station building will look from the southwest on Neasham Road from the new interchange towards the new station and multi-storey car park.

Here are some more projections of how the overhaul will look:

The view looking South-West towards the new station entrance

The approach to the new station entrance on the Eastern Side 

The view looking up Victoria Road to the Western Arches at Bank Top 

View of the Western Station Entrance from Park Lane 

Darlington Station Car Park Closure

As part of the Darlington Station redevelopment works, the current car park at the east of the station – accessed from Neasham Road – will be closing to allow construction work to begin. A new temporary car park will come into operation on 00:01 April 27, located at the former cattle market site off Clifton Road to the west of the station. When searching for this car park online or using a sat-nav, please use the postcode DL1 5DS.

Currently work is at an advanced stage and the Neasham Road car park is due to close at 23:59 on April 26. No entry will be allowed after this date. Any Long Stay customers will be able to collect their car and exit the car park up to and including May 01.

Car park users requiring to park before April 27 and return after May 01 will need to use alternative parking. Alternatives options available are the LNER car parks of Yarm Road and Park Lane, and the Darlington Borough Council car park off Park Lane

The temporary car park is set to be in operation until construction is complete on the new multi-storey in 2025.

News and Updates 

February 2023

Demolition work and remediation on the Eastern side of the station is well underway. Efforts to bring down the former Hogan’s Pub on the Western side of the Station at the top of Victoria Road are under way. Read more here: Time Called on Longstanding Pub as Demolition Date is Set – Tees Valley Combined Authority (teesvalley-ca.gov.uk)

December 2022

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt rubber stamped a £93million cash injection from the Government for the station scheme – taking the total investment to just shy of £140million  Chancellor Rubber Stamps Cash Injection for Darlington Station Overhaul – Tees Valley Combined Authority (teesvalley-ca.gov.uk)

October 2022

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen joins Cllr Jonathan Dulston, Darlington Borough Council leader and Combined Authority Cabinet lead for Transport, on-site as Thompsons of Prudhoe break ground on demolition work at the station site – Work Under Way On Darlington Station’s £100Million Redevelopment – Tees Valley Combined Authority (teesvalley-ca.gov.uk)