1.4M pounds for Railway Station

14th December 2009

Type: News

Categories: Love Middlesbrough News

Work has begun on the installation of two new lifts for passengers at Middlesbrough Railway Station.

The work involves a £1.4m investment in the station and will mean passengers, including people who are disabled, will be able to get to both platforms without having to negotiate the stairs down to the subway.

Work started late last month and is being carried out by Network Rail and funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.

There will be new lifts for platforms one and two and work is due for completion by Spring time next year.

Middlesbrough is the second busiest railway station in the Tees Valley with 1.3m passengers a year passing through it and is managed by TransPennine Express.

What people are saying

Charlie Rooney, Executive Member for Transport at Middlesbrough Council, said: “These two new lifts will be of huge benefit for passengers using the station.

“When the work is complete every passenger will be able to enjoy easy and convenient access to all the station’s platforms.

“This will greatly improve the passenger experience at Middlesbrough Railway Station.”

Richard Lungmuss, Route Director for Network Rail, said: “These new facilities will make station and platform access much easier for all passengers, including people with disabilities, those carrying heavy luggage and parents with pushchairs.

“We’re pleased that this important funding has made it possible for us to carry out these station improvements and we look forward to completing this work with the minimum of disruption to passengers.”

Edith Rodgers, customer services director of First TransPennine Express added: “Easy access to the station and between platforms is vitally important for all passengers and these new lifts will be a major improvement, providing a much easier start and finish to thousands of journeys every year.”

Councillor Julia Rostron, Executive Member for Social Care at the Council, said: “This is fantastic news for all users of the station particularly those with limited mobility.

“Their journeys will now be so much more pleasant thanks to this investment.”

The Friends of Middlesbrough Railway Station group have campaigned for a number of years for lifts to be installed at the station.

Impact on travellers

Disruption for passengers during the work will be kept to a minimum.

The waiting room on platform one will be closed for a short period of time but passengers will have seating available on the main concourse.

As well as the new lifts a new café is also set to be installed at the station.

The café is being funded by the National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP) and the Railway Heritage Trust at a cost of £300,000.

Work will start early next year and it is set to be open by the Spring.

The cafe will be owned by Steve Wedon and his cousin Gordon Penter. Steve’s wife Angela owns the popular Castleton Tea Rooms.

Useful Links

Connect Tees Valley

Transpenine Express

Middlesbrough - Accessibility information

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