Passengers in West Sussex are benefiting from a major investment to Crawley Station, part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.
The upgrade works will improve accessibility at Crawley station and significantly reduce the time it takes passengers to get from platform 2 to the main station and to Crawley shopping centre.
Crawley station sits on the Arun Valley line, between Three Bridges and Horsham, and serves over 1.7 million passengers per year. With new lifts and footbridge serving both platforms, more passengers can travel to Crawley town centre which will benefit parents with buggies, people with shopping and those with mobility issues.
In the addition to the lifts and footbridge, tactile surfaces have been installed on both platforms to improve the station experience for visually impaired passengers.
This work is part of the Department for Transport funded Access for All programme which aims to provide obstacle free, accessible routes to and between platforms. More than £300m has been secured to continue with the Access for All Programme over the next five years.
Shaun King, Sussex route director for Network Rail, said: “The improvements at Crawley station will make a big difference to passengers, especially those with reduced mobility or with small children, and is part of a wider effort to build a bigger, better railway.
“We’re pleased to have completed a major construction project like this without any disruption to rail services or station access. The upgraded station will better serve the needs of passengers now and into the future.”
Angie Doll, Managing Director for Southern and Gatwick Express, said: “On behalf of our Crawley passengers, especially those for whom the lack of lifts made the station difficult to use, we welcome this major investment in step free access from street to platform.
“The new infrastructure will be complemented by the seven new benches we have installed as part of our network wide, multimillion-pound station improvement programme. We’re also enclosing the front of Platform 2’s waiting shelter for better weather protection.
“Please travel only if you have to, and remember: ‘hands-face-space’ – wash your hands, wear a face covering and keep your distance from others.”
Crawley station sits on the Arun Valley line, between Three Bridges and Horsham, and serves over 1.7 million passengers per year.
Photo credit: Network Rail
