Wednesday 27 Oct 2010
WORK BEGINS TO MAKE PITSEA STATION MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL
- Region & Route:
- | Eastern: Anglia
- | Eastern
New lifts and footbridges for passengers
Work will begin at Pitsea station on Monday 1 November to provide passengers with step-free access between the station entrance and the platforms, making the railway more accessible for everyone.
The project, which is part of the national Access for All programme, will include the installation of a new footbridge, three new lifts and two new bridges, providing an accessible route from the station entrance to and between all platforms, making it easier and safer for passengers to move around the station
Chris Curtis, Network Rail route general manager, said: “The improvement works at Pitsea will make a big difference to passengers. Once completed, the station will be safer, easier to use and more accessible for everyone. Those passengers with reduced mobility or travelling with small children or heavy luggage should reap the biggest benefits.”
In addition to the accessibility improvements, Network Rail plans to carry out platform extension and resurfacing work during the summer of 2011 to enable 12-car services to call at the station in future. The co-ordination of both improvement projects has been planned to minimise disruption for passengers and local residents.
Hugh Jennings, head of retail for c2c, said: "We welcome this investment at Pitsea station. As a company we are committed to making access to train services easier for existing and potential passengers. Improving the accessibility of our stations is a key part of this aim, so we are pleased that this major enhancement project for Pitsea station will make travel simpler and more convenient for our customers. We believe it will encourage more people to choose the train and make Pitsea an even more accessible location."
Work on both schemes is expected to be completed in Autumn 2011.
Notes to editors
Access for All is a £370m fund for station accessibility. Station selection and prioritisation is made by the DfT. To date, 148 stations in England, Wales and Scotland have been selected to receive step-free access improvements.
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