Media centre

Friday 24 Jul 2009

BETTER SERVICES TO A BETTER STATION IN FAVERSHAM

Region & Route:

| Southern

Passengers in Faversham are set to benefit from improved train services and better station facilities by the end of the year.

Work is due to start in September to lengthen the platforms for 12-car trains, including the Southeastern Highspeed services, install new lifts to make it easier for people with reduced mobility to move between platforms and upgrade the track and signalling to improve the reliability, speed and flexibility of train services.

Andrew Munden, Network Rail’s route director for Kent, said: “These improvements will help improve the overall travelling experience for passengers to and from Faversham. In the longer term, they will also bring significant performance benefits for passengers who use the railway between Ramsgate and Rochester. With the upgrades at Faversham, we will have a station, signalling and track which is fit for the 21st century passengers and train services.”

There are a number of different elements to the work at Faversham. These include:

PLATFORM EXTENSIONS: Platforms 1 and 2 will be extended by 20 metres at the London end. In order to deliver this, one of the tracks needs to be moved around one metre towards the boundary. This work is scheduled to start in October and take approximately six weeks. The platforms will remain in operation during this time, although access to certain areas will be restricted.

SUBWAY IMPROVEMENTS: As a result of the works taking place overhead, a number of works will be carried out in the public subway, including moving the staircase. The subway will be closed from Monday 27 July until early December. An alternative route is available via Forbes Road.

BETTER ACCESSIBILITY: Plans are being developed to install lifts in the station subway to allow easier movement around the station for people with reduced mobility. The barrow crossing at the London end of the platforms which is currently used by disabled passengers to move between platforms will be removed.

TRACK AND SIGNALLING UPGRADE: This will be one of the first stages of a multi-million pound re-signalling project which will replace the 1950s mechanical signalling across East Kent with a modern computerised system which will allow signallers to control train movements more efficiently and effectively and increase line speeds.

STATION REFURBISHMENT: Work has commenced on the exterior painting of the station buildings, canopies and subway and is due to complete in approx eight weeks.

Mr Munden concluded: “There should be minimal disruption to passengers while we deliver this important work, but the benefits will be long-lasting. We thank passengers in advance for their patience.