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Tuesday 12 Dec 2023

Grays station accessibility improvements to begin in January 2024

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

• Better, more efficient step free access for all passengers using Grays station
• Two new lifts to be installed under the Government’s Access for All scheme
• Existing underpass to temporarily close early in the new year for lift installation work

As part of the Government’s 'Access for All' scheme, Grays station in Essex will become fully accessible with the addition of two new lifts which will allow station users to access both platforms via the existing stepped subway under the tracks. 

Accessibility benefits everyone – people with health conditions or impairments, people with children, heavy luggage or shopping and some older people. Accessible stations make it easier for people to visit friends, get to the shops or to work. It’s also good for the economy and means fewer car journeys, less congestion and carbon emissions.

At Grays station, step free access is currently available, however, passengers with mobility needs are required to exit the station and use the level crossing to the east to cross the tracks. During busy times, the level crossing barriers close to allow trains in and out of platforms, adding additional time and inconvenience for those with restricted mobility, buggies or heavy luggage.  

Once the lifts are complete, passengers requiring step free access to get to the adjacent platform will have a much more convenient and shorter route using two new station lifts via the station subway.

Network Rail and its contractor, Octavius, working in collaboration with c2c, will begin to install the two lifts from 8 January 2024 by closing the station subway and starting the enabling work to construct the two lift shafts. The subway is being closed to maintain safety of station users while work is underway.

Passengers that need to get to the adjacent platform will be diverted to use the level crossing or stepped footbridge to the east of the station. 

The work is expected to last approximately 12 months. 

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia said: “Every time a station is upgraded to offer better accessibility, it opens up our network to more people being able to travel with confidence and with ease. All c2c passengers using Grays station will soon benefit from better step free access with the addition of these two new lifts funded by the 'Access for All' scheme."

Rob Mullen, c2c’s Managing Director, said, "We're really pleased to see this project moving ahead, the latest upgrade to improve accessibility across our network. Grays is a really busy station so ensuring it can support as many members of the local community as possible is really important. The new lifts will provide greater, more convenient access, adding to the step-free already available at the station. We thank our customers for their patience as this key upgrade project takes place."