Billingham Station is set to receive major accessibility upgrades via a £3.59m campaign kickstarting a programme of improvements for Northern rail passengers.
Diggers were moved in for the project early last week, as the construction work began, seeing the building of a base for the rail workers. This will function as the launching pad for the multi-million-pound project to begin, with the aims for completion being Spring 2023.
The £3.59m campaign will see the implementation of a new and improved footbridge that will connect the station’s two platforms, and two state-of-the-art lifts which will provide step-free access for the thousands of passengers that utilise the stations services per year. These renovative works come as part of the Government’s Access for All initiative which aims to make rail stations more accessible for less able passengers and will culminate in the largest station revamp since its inception in 1966.
The accessibility upgrades will make travelling via the rail services easier for passengers with limited mobility, heavy luggage, bikes, or pushchairs, thus unlocking the benefits of Billingham’s strong rail connections to places like Newcastle, Whitby, Hexham, and the onward travel opportunities.
Kieran Dunkin, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail, said:
“These major changes will completely transform the way that passengers use Billingham station and help us to provide a railway that truly is here for everybody. Young families, keen cyclists, holiday-goers, and disabled travellers will all see a much more welcoming station, and I hope it encourages more people to travel by train.”
Additional improvements to the car park will make it even easier for passengers to access the station, and future plans to upgrade the platforms will improve the look of the entire station.
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