Media centre

Thursday 4 Apr 2019

Stations set for step-free access after being shortlisted for a share of the Government's £300m Access for All funding

Region & Route:

Southern

Train stations in Kent and Sussex are among 73 across Britain set to benefit from a share of £300 million Access for All funding, the government announced today.

The funding aims to make travel easier for passengers with reduced mobility, as well as people with children and pushchairs, heavy luggage or shopping.

Across the railway in south east London and Kent, brand new accessibility schemes have been announced for Catford and Herne Bay, with previously-announced schemes set to be completed at Chatham, Hither Green, Peckham Rye, Petts Wood and St Mary Cray.

Justin Ryan, Southeastern’s Accessibility Manager said:

“We always want to do more to improve the journey experience for our passengers and we considered a huge number of nominations for the Department for Transport to consider stations for accessibility improvements.

“This investment means more people than ever will benefit from new lifts and footbridges, allowing for easier journeys across south east London and Kent.

“While we appreciate that not everyone’s local station has been successful in being awarded funds, factors such as the strength of local feedback and the location of stations in relation to other, step-free stations in the area were all taken into account.

“Working together in partnership with Network Rail, we’ll continue to do everything we can to make our stations as accessible as possible.”

In Sussex, Crowborough station has been shortlisted to receive a share of the money to pay for step-free access, while projects from the previous round of funding are soon to be completed in Carshalton, Coulsdon South and Selhurst.

Andrew Sidgwick, Govia Thameslink Railway’s Head of Programme Delivery, said: “We are delighted these stations have been selected for funding. We work very hard to make our services accessible to everyone and the projects will make an enormous difference to our passengers. We will immediately begin supporting Network Rail as it develops each scheme."

Paul Coleman, Network Rail’s Access for All lead, added:

“The Access for All programme was an exciting opportunity for passengers to have an input into nominating their station for these all-inclusive schemes.

“We worked closely with Southeastern and Southern to identify these stations and this is reflected in today’s announcement.

“Work at Plumstead, Shortlands and Canterbury East stations will be completed later in 2019, as well as in Carshalton, Coulsdon South and Selhurst (pictured).

“These are in addition to the 45 stations in Kent, Sussex and south London which have already had £70m of step-free access work completed since the Access for All scheme began in 2006.”