13.03.12
Balham station upgrade complete
An 11-month, £1m upgrade programme at Balham station has been completed to refurbish facilities, funded through the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP).
The improvements include step-free access to the station, relocation of the main gate line, a new gated entrance from Balham High Road, improved ticket availability, two new ticket office windows, improved Customer Information screens, a deep clean to the station, improvements to the platform canopy and improved signage, as well as adjustable height windows for the ticket office.
Southern’s franchise improvement director, David Scorey said: “Thanks to NSIP, the very busy Balham station has been transformed. The main entrance and booking hall areas now allow people to move much more freely. We now have a station with superb facilities and much improved accessibility that we are proud to present to our passengers. The new entrance has proved to be an extremely popular addition and I’m sure our passengers will enjoy the station and its new facilities for many years to come.”
Robert Sue, commercial scheme sponsor at Network Rail, said: “The railway in southLondonprovides vital links into and around the capital for thousands of people every day. As more and more people travel by train we continue to invest in improvements which will improve facilities and journeys for these passengers.
“The upgrade at Balham should make a big difference, the most noticeable of which is the creation of three times the amount of space for passengers to circulate which has significantly reduced congestion and made it easier to move around the station, particularly at the busiest times of the day.”
Sadiq Khan MP said: “It’s great to see further improvements being made to modernise Balham station for all passengers, including even greater improvements to accessibility. With ever increasing numbers of local residents using public transport, and fares going up each year, it’s important that passengers see significant improvements in services and standards.”
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