Media centre

Tuesday 1 Mar 2016

Birchwood station now accessible to all

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

Network Rail - in partnership with the Department for Transport, Warrington Borough Council and First TransPennine Express - has completed work to make Birchwood station in Warrington fully accessible to passengers with step-free access throughout.

The work was completed as part of the Access for All scheme, a programme managed by Network Rail and funded by the Department for Transport, to improve accessibility at train stations. This includes installing lifts and ramps to make stations step-free and accessible to all passengers including those with reduced mobility, children, heavy luggage or shopping.

The work at Birchwood station, on the busy Manchester to Liverpool line, has been complemented by improvements to the station environment including changes to the layout to direct passengers towards the new footbridge.

Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “We are transforming our railways through record levels of investment, and  improving accessibility at Birchwood station is an important part of this work. The new footbridge will help make journeys better for customers who are disabled or have limited mobility, as well as making a real difference to those passengers with heavy luggage or buggies.”

Jon Ratcliffe, senior commercial scheme sponsor at Network Rail, said: “The Access for All scheme helps to make using the railway even easier for millions of people who travel by train every year. It is great to see Birchwood station’s new layout with a brand new footbridge and new lifts serving the platforms, all valuable additions to the station’s facilities.”

First TransPennine Express Manchester Hub area customer service manager, Billy Vickers, said: “It’s great to see these new facilities now available to our customers at Birchwood station. These improvements will allow easy access to the platforms for people of all ages, including those with reduced mobility.”

Warrington Borough Council has recently carried out further improvements at the station car park, helping improve pedestrian, cyclist and public transport access.

Leader of Warrington Borough Council, Councillor Terry O’Neill said: “Warrington’s great rail transport links are an integral part of both community and business life and therefore are extremely important for us to get right. The successful bid for the Access for All funding and the new facilities will enable everyone to use Birchwood station easily and safely. ”

Councillor Hans Mundry, Warrington Borough Council executive member for transport said: “I am delighted to see the Access for All project come to fruition at Birchwood station and am proud at what WBC, Network Rail, Murphy and TransPennine Express have been able to achieve by working together.”

ENDS

Notes:

Photo shows: Councillor Hans Mundry; David Shinks, Network Rail scheme project manager; Lee Rosslyn, Murphy site foreman; David Hook, head of property at First TransPennine Express; David Boyer, assistant director transport and environment, Warrington Borough Council; leader of Warrington Borough Council, Councillor Terry O’Neill; Stephen Hunter, Transport for Warrington service manager; Councillor Chris Fitzsimmons; Andy Sharrock, Murphy framework manager; Councillor Russ Bowden.

(front): Councillor Pauline Nelson; David Thompson MBE DL, chief executive Warrington Disability Partnership.