In News

Passengers at St Mary Cray station in Kent will soon be able to benefit from greater accessibility after the approval of a new £4 million scheme to improve the station’s access.

According to a recently published report, two new easy access lifts are to be installed at the station, along with a range of accessibility features inside and outside the station building, which will help those with mobility issues, older people and parents with young children. The new lifts will have a capacity of up to 16 people and are the type with exists on both sides, which will improve accessibility. The improvements are being funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme.

Further improvements are also being made to the station’s ticket office and the relocation of a retail unit into a former taxi office to create more space for the lifts and new handrails and tactile surfacing is also being installed on the existing platform staircases.

Speaking about the improvements to reporters, Paul Harwood, the Investment Director of the Southern Region for Network Rail, said: “The Access for All programme enables a significant investment in our stations in Kent and the wider southern region, which will help all our passengers and especially those with mobility issues. St Mary Cray will have modern step free access to its platforms for the first time and dozens of other measures throughout the station will make access much easier for all passengers.”

Matt Hawken, Southeastern Station Manager for St Mary Cray, told reporters: “At Southeastern we are committed to providing a safe and comfortable journey for everyone. A key part of that is how easily people can get around our stations and on or off the trains. This work at St Mary Cray means that another one of our stations will have step free access. It does make a real difference to disabled people and those with heavy luggage or prams.”

The work at St Mary Cray will begin in February 2021 and aims to be completed by autumn. During the works, both Network Rail and Southeaster, the train operating company, will work with passengers to communicate with them throughout the programme of works

Related