Access for All, 73 stations approved for additional funding

[Aictos]

Selected stations will, subject to a feasible design being possible, receive an accessible route into the station, as well as to and between every platform.

Improving access to Great Britain’s railway stations is a key priority for this government and we want all passengers to be able to travel easily and confidently. The Department’s Access for All programme is critical to delivering this; the programme has already delivered an accessible, step free route at more than 200 stations, as well as smaller scale accessibility improvements at more than 1,500 others.

The Inclusive Transport Strategy, published on 25 July 2018, included a commitment to extend the Access for All programme, announcing an additional £300 million of funding from the public purse.

Our approach is to work with transport operators and partners to target investments where they are needed most and where they can deliver the greatest impact. This funding will enable us to deliver accessibility improvements at more stations across the rail network, and allow us to proceed with the station enhancements that were deferred from Control Period 5.

In total 73 stations are set to benefit from this funding. This is in addition to the 24 station projects that are ongoing. The selected stations will, subject to a feasible design being possible, receive an accessible route into the station, as well as to and between every platform.

The new stations due to upgraded from this funding are listed below. They have been selected following nominations from the rail industry, which engaged with local authorities and other stakeholders. We then assessed them against annual footfall, weighted by the incidence of disability in the area, and also took account of local factors such as nearby hospitals and the availability of third party funding. Due consideration was also given to the preferences of the train operating companies and, finally, a number were chosen to ensure a fair geographical spread across the country.

• Abergavenny
• Anniesland
• Beaconsfield Station
• Biggleswade
• Birkenhead Park
• Bridlington
• Broad green *Caerphilly
• Catford
• Chalkwell
• Chorley
• Cricklewood
• Crowborough
• Croy
• Cwmbran
• Daisy Hill
• Dumfries
• Flint
• Hackney Downs
• Handforth
• Herne Bay
• Hertford North
• Hillside
• Hunt’s Cross
• Irlam
• Isleworth
• Johnstone
• Kings Langley
• Leatherhead
• Ludlow
• Menston
• Mill Hill Broadway
• Port Glasgow
• Retford
• Selby
• Shotton
• Smethwick Rolfe Street
• St Erth
• St Michaels
• Stoneleigh
• Stowmarket
• Tenby
• Todmorden
• Uddingston
• Wandsworth Town
• Wellington

The stations deferred from Control Period 5, which will now be progressed are:

• Alfreton (Parkway)
• Barnes
• Barry (Town)
• Battersea Park
• Cathays
• Chatham
• Garforth
• Grays
• Hither Green
• Liverpool Central
• Llanelli
• Luton
• Market Harborough
• Northallerton
• Peckham Rye
• Petts Wood
• Queen’s Park
• Seven Sisters
• Southend East
• St Mary Cray
• Streatham
• Theale
• Trefforest
• Walton-on-Thames
• Warwick
• Weston-Super-Mare
• Worcester Shrub Hill

All work at the stations is due to be completed by the end of March 2024.

In addition to these significant upgrades, we intend to use £20 million of the funding to re-launch the Mid-Tier Access for All programme. This will be focused on stations where accessibility improvements can be delivered with between £250,000 and £1 million of government support.

We will be seeking nominations for this funding in due course.

All of the work carried out by Access for All comes in addition to access improvements that the industry is required to deliver as part of other projects or renewals of station infrastructure.

Together these measures will make a real difference to people’s lives, opening up access to leisure and employment for disabled rail passengers as well as making it easier for those with heavy luggage or children in buggies to use the network.

The full announcement was and can be located here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speec...ations-set-to-benefit-from-additional-funding

Now Biggleswade I'm guess would be a entirely new footbridge as the existing one as well as being a public right of way is also very narrow so hopefully this includes lifts and maybe introducing ticket barriers as a bonus.

Hertford North at the moment just has step free access from street to Platforms 2/3 so hopefully this means improved access to Platform 1 which as a major station on the line along with Gordon Hill is long overdue.

Luton though I'm happy about as it needs it as not many stations on the Midland Mainline have step free access and at the moment only one platform has step free access to the street so ensuring all platforms are step free access is good.

Yes the works will take up to 2024 but it's been approved by Govt so looking forward to seeing all those stations with much improved accessibility for all.

Any stations that you feel that the Govt missed out, discuss below...

 

[Legolash2o]

I wonder what sort of work they'll be doing in Bridlington.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I thought Canterbury East was to get an accessible footbridge?

 

[Aictos]

I guess we see when they provide the plans for those works, I'm interested in the GTR stations so I wonder what they intend to do at Hertford North though?

Luton needs a lot of work as a lot of it is still stuck in NSE days with signage in the former NSE branding still very visible and the footbridge between platforms looks outdated.

Biggleswade though if they do it right, they probably end up with something like what St Neots has?

 

[philthetube]

How many of these are not staffed first to last and served by DOO trains?

 

[Aictos]

How many of these are not staffed first to last and served by DOO trains?

Umm Biggleswade as they only have platform staff in the peaks so this will mean a lot to people with the improved accessibility it will bring, they don’t have Gateline staff as no Gateline at that station.

 

[Mojo]

I often wonder why, given that there is a limited pot of funding for step-free access, work is undertaken at stations that are already step-free, but either require staff to use a barrow crossing or have an auxiliary entrances to access one or more platforms. I’ve seen this at locations before, and it strikes me as a poor use of money, providing access at stations that regular users know are already accessible, meaning that another station that is not accessible doesn’t get funding.

 

[Thebaz]

Battersea Park could do with some step-free access. It's difficult enough for an able-bodied person getting to and from platforms 4/5 to the street as it is.

 

[Altfish]

Northwich misses out again, still no step free access to Chester bound platform.

 

[Aictos]

I often wonder why, given that there is a limited pot of funding for step-free access, work is undertaken at stations that are already step-free, but either require staff to use a barrow crossing or have an auxiliary entrances to access one or more platforms. I’ve seen this at locations before, and it strikes me as a poor use of money, providing access at stations that regular users know are already accessible, meaning that another station that is not accessible doesn’t get funding.

Don't forget that the DfT have stated in the press release above and I quote "we intend to use £20 million of the funding to re-launch the Mid-Tier Access for All programme. This will be focused on stations where accessibility improvements can be delivered with between £250,000 and £1 million of government support." So yes while there is a limited pot of funds available, there is still a chance for stations not on the lists above to apply for Government support to bring Access to All for their stations.

So watch this space for stations not on the lists above to still get a chance for funding.

 

[RichJF]

Notice how East Grinstead has STILL not got an accessbile lift to platform 1. Despite a number of peak trains using it now & there's still no step free access to it!

 

[Aictos]

Notice how East Grinstead has STILL not got an accessbile lift to platform 1. Despite a number of peak trains using it now & there's still no step free access to it!

Platform 1 since the resignalling a few years ago at Hertford North saw a increase in trains terminating on Platform 1 then there used to be, still no step free access to it but hoping with the funds being approved that will now change.

 

[Mojo]

Don't forget that the DfT have stated in the press release above and I quote "we intend to use £20 million of the funding to re-launch the Mid-Tier Access for All programme. This will be focused on stations where accessibility improvements can be delivered with between £250,000 and £1 million of government support." So yes while there is a limited pot of funds available, there is still a chance for stations not on the lists above to apply for Government support to bring Access to All for their stations.

So watch this space for stations not on the lists above to still get a chance for funding.

I get your point, but stations like Weston super Mare already have full step free access; it’s just that the two different platforms require access via a circuitous route. A station that has just had a significant investment under this scheme is Scunthorpe which again already had full access, via a Barrow crossing. Whilst these cases are certainly not ideal, this is millions of pounds that could have been spent on stations or platforms that are totally inaccessible.

 

[mmh]

I get your point, but stations like Weston super Mare already have full step free access; it’s just that the two different platforms require access via a circuitous route. A station that has just had a significant investment under this scheme is Scunthorpe which again already had full access, via a Barrow crossing. Whilst these cases are certainly not ideal, this is millions of pounds that could have been spent on stations or platforms that are totally inaccessible.

I was about to mention Weston super Mare, as it's the only station on the list I use. I was quite surprised to see it there, the majority of services use platform 2, which has step free access. Platform 1 is generally only used if there's a terminator in 2 or up and down services need to pass there.

Unfortunately platform 1 these days is only reached by the footbridge, the entrance on that side has been locked for years now.

I wonder what the plan is there. I'd like to see the other entrance reopened as it would be convenient for me at times, but as it's a 10-15 minute detour on foot for the able bodied from the main entrance and it's a station where you can't reliably know which platform you'll need it'd feel a bit like lipservice to accessibility to me.

 

[Mojo]

Unfortunately platform 1 these days is only reached by the footbridge, the entrance on that side has been locked for years now.

That is not the case. The entrance which closed in 2015, reopened last year with a gate line installed.

Even when it was shut, it was still possible to access the platform by request of staff.

https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/...n-s-sunnyside-road-entrance-reopens-1-5816307

The Sunnyside Road entrance to Weston Railway Station now has automated ticket barriers and an upgraded entrance to platform one.

Great Western Railway (GWR) funded the scheme, including gates on both sides, which cost in excess of £1million.

 

[mmh]

That is not the case. The entrance which closed in 2015, reopened last year with a gate line installed.

Even when it was shut, it was still possible to access the platform by request of staff.

https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/...n-s-sunnyside-road-entrance-reopens-1-5816307

Blimey, I didn't know that - thank you.

Sad to read it included putting ticket barriers in, that means many of my memories of the station couldn't happen now. No chance to use the station as a shortcut either. And presumably has changed one of the nicest station pubs. I suppose inevitable, Weston's drug problem not helping perhaps.

I'll see for myself on Friday. I'd best make sure I have a ticket, last time I arrived there I didn't (through no fault of my own though!)

 

[xc170]

I wonder what sort of work they'll be doing in Bridlington.

Yes, I'm wondering that too, the main concourse with it's roof is impressive, but the Scarborough platform is somewhat neglected...

 

[holl1984]

Northwich misses out again, still no step free access to Chester bound platform.

Horrendously frustrating. I live on the estate at greenbank and yesterday took my kids to the comic con in town. £3.45 return on the train into Northwich, £4 each way on the bus (I only have 1 over 5 and he has problems with his legs hence the need to use public transport). I had to carry the baby in the baby carrier attached to me, send the 4 and 7 year olds up the steps, toddler on one hand, folded stroller in the other....was a flipping nightmare! Making Northwich accessible to all would make life so much easier for so many people

 

[Metal_gee_man]

I thought Canterbury East was to get an accessible footbridge?

It's part of a previous funding timeline, Canterbury City Council have had the plans after network rail applied for planning permission

 

[peaks222]

Yes, I'm wondering that too, the main concourse with it's roof is impressive, but the Scarborough platform is somewhat neglected...

closing the Scarborough platform and making the other the main throw platform

 

[xc170]

closing the Scarborough platform and making the other the main throw platform

Would work, if trains didn't pass here from the single line section from Filey...

 

[shadowman]

Its good to see Hunt's Cross and St Michaels (both Merseyrail and Northern in respect of HX) on the list of 73 stations as the ramps at both the station have been needing replacing for years due to the fact they are very steep and have caused me many a problem getting out of the station after getting off the train!

 

[M28361M]

Its good to see Hunt's Cross and St Michaels (both Merseyrail and Northern in respect of HX) on the list of 73 stations as the ramps at both the station have been needing replacing for years due to the fact they are very steep and have caused me many a problem getting out of the station after getting off the train!

St Michaels has quite a bit of scaffolding holding up the ramps at the moment, I suspect they are coming to the end of their lifespan and would need to be replaced soon anyway, funding or no funding.

 

[trainmania100]

Preston Park does not have step free access, neither to the platforms, nor the road at the other side of the station. You see, Preston park has a road level subway on the east side, but the platforms and road on west side are elevated and only have access via steps. Problem is with all the houses there isn't a lot of space for step free access.

 

[edwin_m]

The linked list appears to have some double counting or possibly the politicians' trick of re-announcing something announced already. For example Market Harborough is included, which already has an accessible footbridge under construction and opening with the completion of the re-modelling in May to give access to both platforms from the car park. So it may well be that some of the other stations have measures already in hand as well.

In relation to barrow crossings, these are probably seen as part of the level crossing safety issue and require staff to be taken off other duties when escorting passengers. There is probably a staff training requirement too. So accessibility here might be motivated by safety concerns or reducing staff costs.

I was a bit involved in some of these accessiblity upgrades recently and it seems lifts can be fitted into all sorts of improbable places. The standard, at least on the London commuter networks, is generally to provide lifts rather than ramps.