Easier access for passengers as work to fix ‘Norbiton Gap’ is completed: Norbiton and the new platform work

Wednesday 17 Dec 2014

Easier access for passengers as work to fix ‘Norbiton Gap’ is completed

Region & Route:
| Southern: Wessex
| Southern

Passengers at Norbiton station are benefiting from better access after work was completed to reduce a gap between trains and the platform edge.

The Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance and its contractor Osborne realigned the platforms at the station in just seven weeks, significantly reducing the stepping distance to trains. Resurfacing and alterations to the platforms have also helped to create more space for passengers at the station.

The work has been delivered as part of ongoing investment by the Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance to transform stations, improve safety and increase the reliability of rail infrastructure across the Wessex route.

Tim Shoveller, chief executive of the Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance, said: “We hope everyone who uses Norbiton station will feel the benefit of this investment and it’s great to see the end of the ‘Norbiton gap’. Our alliance is investing hundreds of millions of pounds to increase the capacity of our network and make life easier for our passengers, from the start of their journey to the end.”

Ed Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, said: "The gap at Norbiton station was a significant concern, especially with the proximity of Kingston Hospital, and it's great that the work has been completed so quickly.

"I’d like to thank all the local people and groups who’ve helped work with us to get this improvement implemented.”

Notes to editors

The Network Rail / South West Trains Alliance

The Alliance was formed on 29 April 2012 with the aim of delivering an improved service for passengers with faster, more customer-focused decision-making. It is also a step towards delivering a more efficient and cost effective railway for the long term.

  • A single joint management team now look after train services and infrastructure across the South West Trains / Wessex route
  • The Alliance is the first of its kind in the UK
  • Train services operated by the Alliance are some of the busiest commuter train services in the UK with over 2,000 passenger and freight services running on the network every day. The route covers 643 miles of track, with 1375 sets of points and 4394 signals

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - South East route
020 3357 7969
southeastroutecomms@networkrail.co.uk

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Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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