Government confirms step-free access funding for Crossrail
Government announces all of the stations on the Crossrail project will have step-free access.
All of the stations on the Crossrail project will now be ‘step free’ thanks to £14 million of investment announced by Transport Minister Baroness Kramer today (18 November 2014).
The government’s investment at Langley, Taplow and Iver stations will make it easier for passengers to access Crossrail trains when they start running from these stations in 2019.
Baroness Kramer said:
I am delighted to confirm the funding of these important accessibility improvements. This is another example of our commitment to build a world-class rail network that is open to all. It is only right that everyone should be able to enjoy the huge benefits that Crossrail will bring.
Crossrail will transform travel across London and the south east, and is already creating jobs and opportunities across the country. Continuing to invest in projects like these will help us build a stronger economy and a fairer society.
The government’s investment package builds on Transport for London’s announcement last month that it would fund step-free access at Seven Kings, Maryland, Manor Park and Hanwell stations. Now each of the 40 Crossrail stations will be ‘step free’.
Mike Brown MVO, Managing Director of London Underground and London Rail, said:
“It is fantastic news that the DfT has made funding available to ensure the final 3 Crossrail stations are made accessible. A fully accessible transport network is a top priority for us, so we are pleased that when Crossrail is fully operational in late 2019 all 40 stations it serves will be step free, transforming how disabled people can travel in and across the city.”
Crossrail will be fully operational by the end of 2019. The line will boost London’s rail capacity by 10%. It will provide faster journeys, with up to 24 trains per hour each carrying up to 1,500 passengers in the central section between Paddington and Whitechapel during peak hours.
When the line opens Crossrail will carry more than 200 million passengers a year between Reading and Heathrow in the west, through central London and the West End, and on to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
The government is committed to making it easier for passengers to use public transport. Since 2006, more than £460 million has been invested in improving access to more than 190 rail stations across the country, while a further 1,100 stations have benefited from smaller scale improvements.
In addition to the improvements at stations, the new Crossrail fleet will be built to the latest accessibility standards. This includes audio-visual information systems, dedicated priority seats and spaces for wheelchairs.
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