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Monday 18 Sep 2017

More than 4.7 million passengers in south London to benefit from new lifts and footbridges as plans progress for Access for All improvements

Region & Route:

| Southern

More than 4.7m passengers three stations in south London are set to benefit from accessibility improvements, making access between the station entrances and platforms much easier for people with disabilities and reduced mobility, as well as those with children, heavy luggage or shopping.

Network Rail engineers are about to submit planning applications for lifts and other accessibility improvements at Carshalton, Coulsdon South and Selhurst, managed by operator Southern.

The improvements, which include lifts and new footbridges, are being delivered as part of the Access for All programme, which is funded by the Department for Transport and administered by Network Rail, improving step-free access across the railway network. Together they are worth around £10m.

Network Rail’s route managing director for the South East, John Halsall, said: “These improvements will make travelling by train much easier for people with reduced mobility, people with buggies, bags and bikes, and they will make a real difference to how people get around. Train travel should be for everyone, and while there are historic reasons as to why not all our stations are accessible, we remain focussed on making improvements to as many as we can.

“We’ll now be working closely with local authorities, passengers and neighbours to take these designs and make them a reality.”

Keith Jipps, Infrastructure Director at Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Southern, said:  "We are really pleased with the announcement and commitment from Network Rail to invest in these stations for the benefit of our passengers. It supports our plans to modernise the railway with new infrastructure, trains and working practices. We fully support the projects and have been involved in their development throughout."

Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North (Selhurst) said: “It’s vital that every station is accessible for people with disabilities. I’m delighted to see Network Rail making improvements to Selhurst Station to ensure this is the case.”

Chris Philp, MP for Croydon South (Coulsdon South) said: “It is great to see the work that Network Rail have been doing to improve the accessibility of our rail services. This means that it is becoming easier than ever before for people to utilise our excellent local connections for work and to stay connected to family and friends.”

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington said: “It is reassuring to get confirmation that works to make Carshalton Station fully accessible are proceeding.  The elderly, people with mobility problems, pushchairs or heavy luggage and cyclists will all benefit from having lifts installed.”

Network Rail will be submitting designs in the autumn for planning determination by local authorities in 2018. Work will take place once permission has been received and designs are complete, with the schemes intended to be completed over the next two years.