A major accessibility upgrade at Hindley station is due to begin in February, marking another significant step in Greater Manchester’s drive to modernise its rail network and make it usable for all passengers.
The £6.5m project, led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), will introduce two new passenger lifts and a purpose‑built footbridge linking the booking hall to platforms 1 and 2. The scheme will bring step‑free access to the 19th‑century station for the first time—an improvement set to benefit disabled passengers, older people, families with pushchairs, and customers travelling with heavy luggage.
TfGM, Network Rail and Northern Trains have coordinated the programme so the station can remain open throughout construction, with no impact on train services. Upgrades to lighting and CCTV will also form part of the works, improving safety and visibility at the lift and assistance points.
The investment at Hindley follows recent completion of step‑free access at Daisy Hill and Irlam in 2025. Work is progressing at Bryn, with further schemes scheduled at Reddish North and Swinton later this year. Flowery Field, Newton for Hyde and Levenshulme are next in line.
The programme represents a sharp acceleration in accessibility improvements across Greater Manchester. Over a three‑year period, the city‑region will double the number of stations becoming step‑free compared with the previous decade, meaning 63% of stations will offer step‑free access by March 2028.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:
“Everyone should be able to use public transport easily, and the number of inaccessible train stations across Greater Manchester is an historic legacy that we are working hard to correct.
“Over a three-year period, we will deliver upgrades at ten stations – twice as many as in the past decade – so that two-thirds are step-free by spring 2028.
“It’s great to start the new year with confirmation that work will get underway at Hindley in just a few weeks’ time, enabling more people to use the rail network and unlock the city-region’s growing potential.”
Hindley is among 64 stations set to join the Bee Network by 2028, creating a fully integrated transport system spanning buses, trams, active travel and—eventually—rail.
Alongside the accessibility works, a proposed new Travel Hub aims to make it easier for local people to access the station. Plans include more than 40 extra parking spaces—featuring electric vehicle charging points and blue badge bays—a new bus layby, and a dedicated pick‑up/drop‑off zone. Pedestrian links beneath Ladies Lane bridge will also be enhanced, supported by new help points, lighting and CCTV.
Josh Simons, MP for Makerfield, said:
“I am delighted that TfGM and the Mayor are investing in Hindley station, introducing step-free access to make it more accessible. I have been pushing for this since being elected as I know how important it is to passengers and has been a longstanding campaign for the local councillors and the Friends of Hindley Station group. Hindley is a well-used station in the local rail network, and I am pleased that these upgrades will make sure it is open to many more rail users in the years to come.”
Most construction activity will take place on weekdays between 7am and 6pm. Some road closures will be needed in 2026 to facilitate installation of the lifts, with further details to be confirmed. A temporary staircase will maintain access to both platforms throughout, and tickets will remain available via platform machines, online channels and onboard.
Stuart Taylor, Northern’s director of service delivery in Greater Manchester, said:
“We’re excited to see this important project get underway as it will transform Hindley station and improve accessibility, by providing customers with step-free access to the platforms.
“There will be some minor disruption, as some areas will be cordoned off for construction, but the station will remain open throughout and services will run as normal.
“We are working with partners like Transport for Greater to improve accessibility for people who travel across our network and give them the confidence to travel by train.”
Accessibility advocate Nathaniel Yates welcomed the move, saying:
“This is brilliant for the residents of Hindley and this is great progress from Transport for Greater Manchester and Network Rail in terms of step-free access making train stations accessible for everybody.”
Image credits: Transport for Greater Manchester
