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Friday 23 Dec 2016

Blairhill station bridges accessibility gap

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Blairhill’s new, fully-accessible footbridge has opened for passengers as the ScotRail Alliance delivers a multi-million-pound transformation of the Coatbridge station.

The £4m bridge provides step-free access via lifts to both platforms and has been completed as part of the government-funded Access for All programme, which aims to improve access at stations for those with limited mobility.

Constructed in nine months and delivered on-time and to budget, the new footbridge is the first phase of the redevelopment of Blairhill with a new combined booking office and waiting room set to open in summer 2017.

The new modular structure will be located between the city-bound platform and the car park, next to the dedicated disabled parking bays, and will replace the current ticket window located on the bridge at Blair Road.

The building, which is being funded by the Scottish Government, will also include facilities for staff working at the station.

David Dickson, infrastructure director for the ScotRail Alliance said: “Rail travel is more popular now than ever before and we are continuously seeking opportunities to make our services more accessible.

“This new bridge will help ensure that everyone in the community has the opportunity to easily access the station and, combined with the new ticket office, will help to transform the travelling experience for our customers.”

The Access for All programme is managed by Transport Scotland, which also selects the stations for enhancement, and delivered by Network Rail and ScotRail.