Thursday 18 Apr 2024
Step in the right direction for Anniesland accessibility project
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
Work is progressing well in the £4m project to provide step-free access at Anniesland station in Glasgow.
Network Rail will install two new lifts at street level on Great Western Road as part of the project, which began in October.
Since then, engineers have made space and strengthened the foundations for the lift shafts by sheet piling – driving huge sheets of steel into the ground.
This helps make sure the railway bridge and the embankment are supported during the excavation work and once the lifts are installed.
It’s all part of the Access for All (AfA) programme to make accessing the platforms easier for those with impaired mobility and those travelling with luggage, children, or bicycles.
To allow for the work to be carried out safely, changes to station access routes have been made, including the installation of a temporary stairway from the church car park on Herschell Street to access platform 2.
In addition, the footpath underneath the railway bridge, parking bays, and the inside eastbound lane of Great Western Road are closed for the duration of the project.
Amanda Naughton, scheme project manager for Network Rail, said: “We are pleased with how work is progressing at Anniesland station.
“Due to the proximity of the railway and platforms to the road, a traffic management system has been in place to allow our engineers to work safely and with enough room for the necessary equipment.
“We’re keeping station users and pedestrians safe by creating a safe walking route between platforms, for those who do not or cannot use the station footbridge. We urge everyone to continue to follow the signposts in place and adhere to this route.”
In recent weeks the Anniesland AfA project team have been able to inspect and approve the new linkspans - walkways from the platform to the lifts - for the next stages of production before the steel is installed.
The installation will be the next major milestone and it is expected to take place this summer.
More information will be made available on this in the coming weeks. Those living near the station will also continue to receive letters with information on key dates as the project progresses.
Amanda added: “While we understand our work to improve accessibility at Anniesland station has caused some inconvenience, we hope everyone living nearby and using the station is looking forward to the benefits that the new lifts will bring to the people of Anniesland and surrounding areas.
“We thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding.”
Anyone who would like to know more about the project can find the latest updates on Scotland’s Railway website Anniesland Access for All (scotlandsrailway.com)
Notes to Editors
Platform 1 and 3 are now accessed by the existing footpath.
Platform 2 is accessed by a temporary stairway from the church car park on Herschell Street .
The existing footbridge will remain in place and there will be no disruption to services throughout this project.
The footpath underneath the railway bridge, parking bays, and the inside eastbound lane of Great Western Road will remain closed for the duration of the project.
A diversionary route is in place for pedestrians and is fully signposted to encourage the use of traffic lights when crossing the road.
Network Rail has worked with Glasgow City Council to make sure the traffic and pedestrian management system is as safe as it can be.
The Access for All Scheme at Anniesland station is one of six schemes funded by the Department for Transport in Scotland during the last five years. Croy and Johnstone were completed in 2022, Port Glasgow was completed earlier this year and work is underway at Uddingston and Dumfries.
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