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Tuesday 24 Jan 2017

Station’s subway set for makeover

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

A well-used subway at a railway station in West Lancashire will be refurbished as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

After discussions with the local MP, Rosie Cooper and local residents about the temporary structural measures in place, Network Rail has brought forward plans for £40,000 worth of repairs that will involve two new beams and new brickwork to strengthen the roof in the long-term. At the same time, the inside of the building will be repainted to make it more welcoming to passengers.

Rosie Cooper, MP for West Lancashire said: “I very much welcome Network Rail’s willingness to listen and respond to concerns I raised on behalf of residents.

“Investing £40,000 to upgrade the subway at Parbold train station is fantastic.  For many residents the subway is a safe walkway along the main road through the village rather than the rail crossing, where there are no pavements and they have to wait when the barriers are down.

“Residents and commuters visiting Parbold will be delighted with the newly refurbished subway.”

Terry Strickland, north area director of Network Rail said:  “As part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade plan across Britain, we are installing two new steel girders, which will mean that the temporary props that currently support the ceiling will no longer be required.

“We would like to thank local residents for their patience while we undertake these important repairs to this busy station. Once the subway is refurbished, we hope it will improve the passenger experience of commuters and visitors to Parbold alike.”

 

From 23 January, lasting for four weeks, the repair work will take place from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm. While the subway will be closed to the public, passengers wishing to catch a train will be able to access the platforms, using the existing level crossing. Most crucially, the repair work will not affect rail services, meaning that trains will run continue to run as normal.