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Monday 12 Oct 2020

Work gets underway on Denmark Hill station upgrade

Region & Route:

Southern: Kent

| Southern

Work has got underway on a £7.5m project to relieve station crowding and support more reliable train services at Denmark Hill.

Foundations have been dug out for the new columns at the station near Camberwell in South London, which will support additional canopies along with new customer information screens and more seating. Upgraded PA systems will encourage passengers to use the full length of the platforms and ease overcrowding.

The work being is being funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by Network Rail and will also see a new second entrance making it easier for passengers to enter and exit the station. This entrance on Windsor Walk will help encourage walking to the two nearby major hospitals and coincide with the reopening of the walking route through the Maudsley Hospital. Heritage gates that will go on the new entrance are partly funded by The Railway Heritage Trust.

The provision of a new 85-space cycle storage space is funded by Sustrans and the nearby employers, Kings College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Trusts.

Sustainability is also key to the project and workers are applying a new photovoltaic (solar) film to the new station roof to make the station ‘Carbon Positive’.

It is hoped the project, which will be completed in Summer 2021, will make entering and exiting the station much easier with passengers better able to board and alight trains on time.

New public artwork at the station, being produced in collaboration with the Camberwell Society and Camberwell Arts, will also improve the journey experience for passengers.

Network Rail has worked closely in collaboration with train operating company GTR to develop and design the scheme, and has also worked with the Salvation Army which is providing space at its Champion Hill site for the project team,  helping to minimise the impact of the works.

Rail Minister Chris Heaton Harris said:  “The improvements to Denmark Hill Station will not only make it easier to access but also improve the look and feel of the station. Network Rail are creating a better space and facilities for those passengers who use it day in day out.

“It is also fantastic to see cycling supported in this scheme. Expanding cycle storage, and encouraging active travel, is key to building a healthier, happier society.”

Network Rail's Southern Region Investment Director, Paul Harwood, said: "The work we're doing at Denmark Hill will help give local people, staff and users of the adjacent major hospitals, easier access to their train services and provide passengers with a much better experience. We're making good progress on the project at this time and even with the extra precautions we are taking to keep everyone safe because of Covid-19 we expect to keep to our original schedule. "

"I’d like to thank GTR for their support through the development of the scheme and the Salvation Army for lending us part of their site for our accommodation."

A spokesperson for The Salvation Army said: “We are pleased to support the Network Rail project to upgrade the public access to Denmark Hill Station, by agreeing for them to use some land next to our William Booth College site which is directly opposite the station.”