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Tuesday 23 Nov 2010

DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR WITHAM AS STATION SECOND ENTRANCE GETS GO-AHEAD

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Rail users in Witham will be celebrating after funding was secured for a second entrance at Witham station.

The new entrance, funded jointly by Essex County Council and Network Rail, will provide a direct link between the station car park and the platforms for the first time. A staircase and passenger lift will join up with an extended station footbridge, meaning passengers will no longer have to negotiate the long walk from Easton Road around to the main station entrance.

Andrew Munden, Network Rail route director, said: "It’s fantastic news that we can make these improvements for passengers using Witham station. This scheme will help make passengers’ journeys quicker and easier and means rail will be a more attractive option for travel for people in the local area."

Cllr Norman Hume, Essex County Council cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "The improvements to this station will make a real difference to people in the area. Access will be greatly improved which will mean that journeys to and from this busy station are better for everyone."

Petrina Murphy, National Express East Anglia’s area manager, said: "We’re so pleased this scheme has got the go-ahead. Our customers will be delighted as the new station entrance will bring great benefits to everyone who visits the station. Accessibility at the station will be transformed.

"Customers using the car park or the disabled parking will be able to access the station much more easily. In addition the flow of vehicles and passengers to and from the station will be much improved too."

Construction on the scheme is scheduled to start in January 2011 with the new entrance planned to open in the autumn. Covered racks providing space for 30 cycles are also being installed as part of the scheme.