Hull Trains is funding improvements to train accessibility at Howden station in the East Riding of Yorkshire, as part of a £1.2m redevelopment project.

The station is around 22 miles west of Hull Paragon station, and the work will raise platform levels to reduce the distance that passengers have to step when getting on and off trains.

Hull Trains will be working in close partnership with station operator Northern, and with Network Rail and TransPennine Express, to make sure that disruption is kept to a minimum while the platform redevelopment is taking place.

Work will take place overnight between the hours of 23:45 and 05:30 from 27 March and is expected to finish in mid-May. As the installation work will take place at night, there will be no impact on passenger walking routes, with the platforms and waiting shelters remaining open during the day. Noise blankets will be used during construction to effectively manage sound levels so that nearby residents are not disturbed.

Paul Jackson, Head of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement at Hull Trains, explained: “Since the introduction of our state-of-the-art Paragon train fleet, the stepping distance from platform to train has increased at the latter end of each platform at Howden. We therefore identified these improvement works as a priority and are confident that passengers of all mobility levels will benefit from greater accessibility when the installation is completed.”

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern, said: “All investment in rail infrastructure is to be welcomed – especially if it has a direct improvement on the customer experience and makes the railway more accessible. I would like to thank customers for their co-operation and patience while this work is carried out.”

Managing Director of Hull Trains, Martijn Gilbert, added: “Improving accessibility at Howden is part of an ongoing investment in our services at Hull Trains, and follows the introduction of a brand-new train fleet and increase in services in recent years. The project is an important part of us continuing to provide reliable, affordable and low carbon train services that are easy for everyone to access along our route.”