Concourse and Accessibility Improvements Exeter Central Station

Exeter Central is one of the busiest stations in the South West, serving almost three million passengers each year and providing an important gateway to Exeter city centre. Increasing passenger numbers had placed growing pressure on the station’s existing concourse, with congestion and bottlenecks occurring during peak periods and major events.

OA, working for JNP Group and alongside Preston Barber delivered a £2.7m programme of improvements to create a safer, more accessible and welcoming passenger environment. The project centred on the expansion and reconfiguration of the concourse, improving circulation through the station and providing additional space for passengers at the busiest times.

The redesigned concourse incorporates new smart-ticket gatelines and an open-plan customer assistance desk, creating clearer routes through the station and a more accessible point of contact for passengers. The changes address previous overcrowding on the concourse and stairways, while helping the gatelines remain operational during periods of particularly high demand. A new retail unit has also been integrated into the station, further improving the passenger environment and supporting Exeter Central’s role as a key city-centre transport hub.