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Friday 28 Aug 2020

Better station ahead for Denmark Hill passengers with £7.5m station investment

Region & Route:

Southern: Kent

| Southern

Denmark Hill passengers can look forward to less crowding  within the station and a more reliable train service as £7.5m upgrade plans get underway from September. 

Passenger numbers at Denmark Hill, now one of London’s busiest stations outside of the large terminals*, have tripled in the last fifteen years. Crowding at entrances, on walkways and platforms means passengers take more time to exit the station, and to get on and off trains, delaying services along the line serving the station and the wider network. 

As part of the improvement plans, a new, second entrance on the north side of the station at Windsor Walk will be built, creating more space for passengers entering and exiting the station.

Additional canopies, along with new customer information screens, more seating and upgraded PA systems will encourage passengers to use the full length of platforms, easing crowding.

Seating will be relocated on all platforms to provide more space, and the eastern end of platform 4 will be widened to give passengers more room.

Andrew Wood, Lead Development Manager for Network Rail Southern Region, said: “These improvements to Denmark Hill station will support a more reliable train service and give passengers a much better journey experience.  We’ll also make the station greener, with state-of-the-art solar technology making the station development ‘Carbon Positive’ and a new 85-space secure cycle storage facility, to encourage more cycling in the area and to the station.    

“We are really grateful for the support of the local community and local stakeholders as we developed the proposals. We will continue to work closely with them through the build”.

Professor Clive Kay, Group Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said, “The proposed improvements to passenger safety and comfort at Denmark Hill station is great news for the many staff and patients who use the service to reach King’s.

“As a Trust, we are delighted to support the safe cycle storage facility at the station. As well as installing additional secure bicycle storage here at King’s, which forms part of our Active Travel plan, we are committed to providing additional bike storage at the station for staff who cycle to work, and supporting local residents in our community to live an active lifestyle.” 

David Bradley, Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “We welcome the proposals to improve Denmark Hill station and know these changes will make a big difference to not only our staff but people who use our services their families and carers who reach Maudsley Hospital by rail. These plans also support our vision to improve inpatient facilities on our campus and ensure our estate is fit for the future.

“We are also very pleased to be offering a cycle to work scheme to colleagues who we know will benefit from safe cycle storage.”

Rory O’Neill, TfL’s General Manager for London Overground, said: “We welcome the improvements being made at Denmark Hill station, which many use to get to nearby Kings College and Maudsley Hospitals. Once the work is complete customers will benefit from improved station access, new customer information screens and secure cycle storage facilities helping make their journeys easier.” 

Paul Best, Govia Thameslink Railway’s senior project manager, said: “The funding being made available for these improvements is fantastic news for our passengers and staff. This will help eliminate congestion at the station, by constructing a second entrance with ticketing facilities and extending the platform canopies to provide additional cover and seating.

"While transforming the experience of using the station, the scheme respects the building’s heritage. It also includes a large cycle hub, free to use via a GTR smart card, giving passengers an opportunity to change the way they travel to the station. We thank our passengers and neighbours for their patience while these wide-ranging improvements are carried out.”

David Wornham, Passenger Services Director at Southastern, said: “We’re always wanting to do more for our passengers, and for those in south east London and further afield, this investment in Denmark Hill is an important expansion of the existing station, making sustainable journeys much easier.”

In collaboration with Sustrans and the two local hospitals, a new 85 space cycle storage facility, available to the public free of charge, will be provided next to the new Windsor Walk entrance

Innovative new photovoltaic film will be applied to the new station roof, the rain cover over the accessible ramp and all new canopies. These improvements will generate enough electricity to make the new station development ‘Carbon Positive’.

To ensure railway heritage is protected, The Railway Heritage Trust, will help fund sensitive alternations to the listed wall on Windsor Walk and provision of appropriate gates for the station entrance.

When the walking route through the Maudsley Hospital reopens (in 2023), the new entrance will become the primary route for all those needing to get to both major hospitals, Kings College Hospital and Maudsley Hospital.

*Denmark Hill is the 43^rd busiest station in London with nearly 7m users a year.