Tilehurst station is set to receive vital accessibility boosting renovations, coming as a result of a £4m investment package that will see the installation of new lifts and walkways, thus ensuring all platforms are accessible for less abled passengers or those travelling with copious amounts of luggage.
Tilehurst accommodates over half-a-million passengers on a yearly basis, providing key access linking a semi-urban location to mainline services.
The installation works will begin this coming spring, dependent upon the requisite planning application approval, with the project currently planned for culmination in the autumn period. These follow on from a previous project that saw a new footbridge installed as part of the Great Western Mainline modernisation.
Alan Gough, Network Rail project sponsor, said:
“This project continues our improvements to Tilehurst station and will ensure even more people can use our railway.
“It’s the latest scheme in the Reading area to deliver sustainable travel, reduce congestion on the roads and provide cleaner air in the Thames Valley.
“We will work closely with our partners at Great Western Railway and with the local community to ensure disruption to passengers and local residents and businesses is kept to a minimum during the work.”
This accessibility project comes as the latest instalment of a wider ambition to provide further improvements to the Reading area, with these works contributing to the Thames Valley Berkshire Strategic Economic Plan.
Sir Alok Sharma, Member of Parliament for Reading West said:
“Having campaigned for many years for funding for Tilehurst station, I am absolutely delighted that final funding for construction at Tilehurst station has been approved.
“Working with Network Rail and Great Western Railway, I have lobbied the Department for Transport extensively to ensure that funding is provided for the installation of lifts. This is vitally important for many local commuters, particularly wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs and buggies, so I am delighted that we are one step closer to finally improvising accessibility at Tilehurst station.”
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