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Friday 10 Mar 2023

Tilehurst station set for step-free access

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Rail passengers are set to experience a more accessible Tilehurst station following confirmation of a £4m investment which will see new lifts and walkways installed at the Berkshire station, ensuring all platforms are fully accessible for the first time.

More than half-a-million passengers use Tilehurst station every year and the upgrades will help even more people to use the railway. Tilehurst is a seven-minute train journey from Reading and a key station to link a semi-urban location to mainline services.

Work to install the new lifts and walkways is due to begin this spring, subject to a prior approval planning application, with the project planned for completion in autumn.

The scheme is the latest investment by Network Rail in the Reading area and provides further improvement to Tilehurst station.  A new footbridge was installed as part of the Great Western Mainline modernisation and this latest work will contribute even further to the Thames Valley Berkshire Strategic Economic Plan.

Alan Gough, Network Rail project sponsor, said: “This project continues our improvements to Tilehurst station and will ensure even more people can use our railway.

“It’s the latest scheme in the Reading area to deliver sustainable travel, reduce congestion on the roads and provide cleaner air in the Thames Valley.

“We will work closely with our partners at Great Western Railway and with the local community to ensure disruption to passengers and local residents and businesses is kept to a minimum during the work.”

Sir Alok Sharma, Member of Parliament for Reading West said: “Having campaigned for many years for funding for Tilehurst station, I am absolutely delighted that final funding for construction at Tilehurst station has been approved.

“Working with Network Rail and Great Western Railway, I have lobbied the Department for Transport extensively to ensure that funding is provided for the installation of lifts. This is vitally important for many local commuters, particularly wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs and buggies, so I am delighted that we are one step closer to finally improving accessibility at Tilehurst station.”