Greater Anglia has announced that it has succeeded in receiving funding to help improve access at Colchester rail station.
The operator has received funding through the Government funding programme, Access for All, which aims to improve station access across the country.
The funding will help to build a new passenger lift to link the platforms and subway to the main booking hall and car park.
Although Colchester has a lift on the other side of the station, disabled passengers arriving at the booking hall currently have to use a stairlift to access the platforms.
The improvements will benefit an estimated 52,000 people a year who require lift facilities.
The bid was supported by Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council and the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership.
The train operator was also successful in gaining funding for improvements at Bury St Edmunds and Needham Market stations in Suffolk.
What did the officials say?
Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia‘s Asset Management Director, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to hear that our proactive funding bid for Colchester station has been successful, enabling us to make rail travel more accessible for all.
“We are very grateful to our partner organisations who worked with us to get this fantastic result that will make a big difference to so many people.
“Along with the enhanced accessibility features of our new fleet of trains, this funding means that we are really starting to transform rail travel for people with disabilities and other accessibility needs, making it much easier for them to travel.”
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Responses
About time that Colchester North station needs more improvements including adding a new lift from the main station concourse to the subway where it links with the 6 platforms at Colchester North. As well redevelopment of the main station concourse and ticket kiosks.
Plus a new platform at Colchester Town station could also be given the approval so that one platform can be used for trains operating from Colchester Town to Colchester (shuttle) and to London Liverpool Street. And the other platform for trains operating on the Colchester Town-Walton-on-the-Naze and Clacton-on-Sea local services.