15.10.12
Salford Crescent £12m station upgrade begins
Work has begun on a £12m project to ease congestion at Salford Crescent, Network Rail has announced. The small station is used by 1.5 million passengers a year and is a key interchange point for trains entering Manchester.
A new ticket office will be built at road level on University Road West, and a new footbridge will link the ticket office with platforms, with a new lift and steps to be installed from the footbridge.
The existing waiting room will be removed to provide more space and a new platform canopy and seating will be installed. Information screens and station announcement system are to be renewed and the platforms will be lengthened in both directions.
Network Rail route managing director Jo Kaye explained: “In the peak periods the station becomes very congested, with large numbers of passengers waiting for trains mixing with those changing trains or leaving the station.
“This work will effectively de-clutter the station by relocating the ticket office and extending the platforms to give passengers more room to move around.”
Lee Wasnidge, area director for Northern Rail added: “We’re delighted to see the start of the work here at Salford Crescent. The planned improvements will bring significant benefits and help make positive changes to our passengers' journeys.”
Work is expected to finish in early 2014 and the station will remain open throughout.
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