Members of the community and accessibility campaigners joined Bolton Council Leader, Nick Peel, and MP for Bolton West, Phil Brickell, to mark the official opening of a new lift at Daisy Hill station, providing passengers step-free access for the first time.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced the completed scheme makes the station – which is run by Northern – much easier to use for passengers, especially those who are wheelchair users, have limited mobility, or are travelling with bicycles, pushchairs or luggage.
The new lift is part of a £4m investment in accessibility upgrades at the station, which included installing an accessible toilet, enhancing the station’s accessible car parking facilities and upgrades to the ticket office and booking hall to create a new lift lobby area.
Completing the scheme marks the beginning of a rolling programme of accessibility works, with TfGM to deliver step-free upgrades at 10 stations over the next three years – twice as many than in the preceding decade.
Currently, fewer than half of the city-region’s stations (43%) are accessible. Using money from the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme, 63% of Greater Manchester’s stations will be step-free by March 2028.
This forms part of Greater Manchester’s wider plans to bring eight commuter rail lines into the Bee Network by 2028, building a more inclusive and accessible public transport network and delivering major improvements to stations, services and passenger experience.
The Leader of Bolton Council, Councillor Nick Peel, said: “Bolton was among the first areas to join the Bee Network back in 2023 and I’m proud that we’re now also home to the first of the railway stations that will see accessibility improvements.
“Public transport is a vital lifeline for many people in our communities including those with disabilities and I would like to thank our local councillors for their hard work on this campaign.
“Making stations accessible is not a ‘nice to have’, it brings an essential service into the reach of more people and improves their opportunities and quality of life.”
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “Thanks to £2.75m of Government funding, a new lift and improved accessible facilities at Daisy Hill station will change how people get around Greater Manchester – paving the way for better connections around the UK.
“We’re clear in our ambitions for our transport network to be accessible so people can travel easily, confidently, and with dignity, so it’s great to see the impact our Access for All programme is making.”
Passengers at Daisy Hill can now walk or wheel to the station and benefit from step-free travel directly into central Manchester within 35 minutes.
Accessibility campaigner, Nathaniel Yates, welcomed the improvements at Daisy Hill station and the rolling programme of improvements. He said: “The installation of the new lift at Daisy Hill station is great progress and I’m delighted that it is now open for people to use.
“I’m sure it will make a real difference to the wellbeing of people who require step-free access and potentially it will unlock another mode of transport for people who live in the Daisy Hill area.”Story Contracting has delivered the accessibility improvements at Daisy Hill station, which included using a 350-tonne crane to lift the new structure into place on the platform.
Martin Smith, Regional Director for Story Contracting, said: “We are delighted to have delivered the construction works for Daisy Hill’s step-free access scheme on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester. This project is a fantastic example of how we work collaboratively with our clients to deliver high-quality, community-focused infrastructure improvements.
“At Story Contracting, we are committed to delivering projects that improve connectivity and accessibility, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with TfGM to enhance rail travel across Greater Manchester.”
Photo credit: Northern
