Costain set to deliver £100m revamp of South Kensington Tube station

# Project overview TfL has confirmed its intention to award a design-and-build contract to Costain for the South Kensington Tube station upgrade. The deal is reported to be worth more than £100m, higher than the £80m estimate TfL gave when the project first went to market. The work aims to tackle overcrowding at a busy tourist gateway and to deliver step-free access across all three lines that serve the station.

# What will change at the station The upgrade contains several linked elements:

• Step-free access to the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines for the first time. This is a primary objective and will be delivered in phases.
• A modernised ticket hall and a new accessible entrance on Thurloe Street.
• Improvements to the subway that links the station with South Kensington's museums, intended to ease pedestrian flows between the transport hub and nearby cultural destinations.
• Reintroduction of a dedicated eastbound Circle and District line platform, which should help reduce crowding and improve passenger circulation.
• Restoration of heritage features within the Grade II-listed station.

# Programme and early works Enabling works are due to start this year. Costain's first crews will occupy an empty retail unit at 34 Thurloe Street to carry out an eight-week enabling package. The main upgrade is scheduled for completion in 2031, timed to be ready in time for the Natural History Museum's 150th anniversary.

# Coordination with adjacent development Costain will need to coordinate its construction programme with a separate property redevelopment moving ahead at the same site. That scheme, led by Native Land and TfL's Places for London and designed by RSHP, includes:

• Restoration of the station's historic shopping arcade and refurbishment of surrounding shops.
• Delivery of 50 homes and grade A office space above new retail and restaurant units.
• Construction of a new four-storey building referred to as the Bullnose at the station entrance.

Both projects will follow coordinated programmes to limit disruption, with step-free access targeted for the first phase to reduce impact on passengers.

# Practical impacts for passengers and local area The works are intended to reduce congestion at a major tourist interchange that serves the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and other nearby attractions. Restoring a disused platform and improving the ticket hall and subway should spread passenger flows more evenly through the station. The addition of a Thurloe Street accessible entrance creates an alternative access point for people with mobility needs.

# Timeline and deliverables

• Main upgrade: completion due in 2031.
• Key deliverables: step-free access to all three lines, a reopened eastbound platform, restored heritage features, modernised ticket hall and improved museum subway link.

# What to watch next Watch for TfL's formal contract award to Costain, published phasing and temporary access arrangements, and the programme for the adjacent Native Land/Places for London redevelopment. These will determine how passenger impacts are managed during construction and the sequencing of step-free access delivery.