Media centre

Thursday 30 Jul 2020

Multi-million-pound accessibility upgrade complete at Tring station

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: West Coast Mainline South

A multi-million-pound transformation of Tring station in Hertfordshire is now complete making it more accessible for passengers.

Network Rail has completed the £5.8 million 'Access for All' upgrade, which included new lifts, ramps and new footbridge to provide step-free access to all five of Tring station’s platforms for the very first time.

The investment has come directly from the Department for Transport’s 'Access for All' programme, which was launched in 2006 to improve accessibility at railway stations nationwide.

London Northwestern Railway passengers can now benefit from the improvements, which it’s hoped will encourage more people in the area to travel by rail.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director was joined by the rail minister, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, local MP Gagan Mohindra, Lawrence Bowman from London Northwestern Railway and local councillors and residents at a socially distanced opening ceremony today (Thursday 30 July).

It forms part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, which is the biggest investment in the railway since Victorian times. 

James Dean, director for Network Rail’s West Coast Main Line South route, said: “The new lifts, ramps and footbridge at Tring station will be a game-changer for passengers and the local community.

"Delivering this project has been tough, with the pandemic changing how we work and it’s thanks to the hard work of our of engineers and partners that we can now have step-free access to the platforms for those who need it.”

Chris Heaton-Harris, MP for Daventry and rail minister, said: "As we gradually welcome more passengers back onto trains, we are pressing ahead with our ambition to make the railway accessible for everyone who uses it.

“The new lifts, ramps, and footbridge at Tring are just one example of how our "Access for All" investment is delivering on that commitment, providing easier, more accessible rail journeys for passengers."

Gagan Mohindra, MP for South West Hertfordshire, said: "I am delighted to see that the Department for Transport’s “Access for All” program’s budget has been used to provide step free access to all platforms at Tring station. Travelling to and from the beautiful town of Tring, one of the gems of South West Hertfordshire, has never been so easy. I hope as many people as possible take advantage of the new facilities."

Lawrence Bowman, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway, said: “Making sure the railway is accessible for all is a key priority and I am delighted these superb new facilities will benefit our customers at Tring for many years to come.

“Passengers at Tring can also look forward to the introduction of brand new electric trains on the West Coast Main Line as part of our £1billion investment into the rail network.”

Tring station is on the busy West Coast main line, with important commuter links to London, Birmingham and Crewe.

Find out more here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/station-improvements/access-for-all/