Monday 2 Nov 2009
DERBY STATION LETS THE SUNSHINE IN
- Region & Route:
Network Rail and East Midlands Trains were joined by Nigel Clough, manager of Derby County football club and the club’s chief executive, Tom Glick, to celebrate the completion of Derby station’s multi-million pound transformation today - Monday 2 November.
Mark Tarry, area manager Network Rail, said:
“Passengers can now enjoy a much brighter, smarter and more spacious station following this £21m project that has literally transformed the station. With new lifts and stairways it’s so much easier to get around, especially for the disabled or those with prams or heavy luggage.”
Network Rail started on the project in early 2008 and worked closely with East Midlands Trains to ensure disruption to passengers was kept to minimum. The old heavy and dark platforms canopies were completely demolished and replaced with light modern ones; new wider stairs were built and lifts were installed to give step-free access to all platforms. New, light, comfortable airy waiting rooms have been added along with new toilets and staff areas. The project has completely changed the dark gloomy 1950s platforms into light, open, friendly spaces.
Tim Shoveller, managing director for East Midlands Trains said:
“We want to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for people to travel with East Midlands Trains and it’s crucial that our passengers get a good impression from the very start of their journey with us.
“We’re really pleased with the changes that have taken place at the station, and for a City steeped in railway heritage, it’s great to now have a station befitting that status”.
Nigel Clough, manager of Derby County Football Club said:
“The train station is a focal point for the City and is used by thousands of people throughout Derbyshire every day.
“On a match day the station is a hive of activity for fans attending Pride Park and therefore we are delighted to support them as they look to improve the service to customers.
“These new improvements are hugely impressive and something that all passengers will see the benefit of.”
The thousands of passengers who use the station daily are now enjoying the enormous benefits this much needed investment has delivered with the station being a welcoming, smart and vital gateway to the city
Notes to editors
The project was split into four phases so the station could remain fully operational throughout the project:
Phase 1 Platforms 1b, 2b and 3b
Phase 2 Platforms 4b and 6b and the installing of lifts
Phases 1 &2 were completed at Christmas 2008.
Phase 3 Platforms 4a, 5 and 6a
Phase 3 was completed on time on the 1st May
Phase 4 renewed platforms 1a, 2a and 3a and was completed at the end of September 2009.
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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
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