Three South Yorkshire railway stations have won funding worth around £290,000 for improvements that will make life more comfortable for train travellers.
Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe and Thorne North stations will be upgraded to include facilities such as public address systems, better signs and tactile paving.
A large part of the money - £110,000 - comes from the Department for Transport’s Access for All Small Schemes funding, and the rest from various local transport sources.
“We are delighted that we have managed to get finance to upgrade accessibility at these stations,” said David Young, Head of Transport Integration at the Transport Executive.
“Part of the deal is that we must find match-funding in our 2007/08 capital programme, which we have now done, and that all works must be completed by 31 March 2008.
“So in that sense the work has only just begun, but I am confident that train travellers to and from the stations in question will soon be enjoying the benefits.”
The funding covers the capital costs of the improvements, which consist of:
• at Thorne North, passenger information displays, public address system, signage, tactile paving, resurfacing work, seating and better lighting; and
• at Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe, step-free access, seating, signage, handrails and tactile paving. These stations will also benefit from the installation of public address systems, the cost of which is being met wholly from local funds.
The plans were stringently analysed by Department for Transport officials, in particular regarding their relevance to the needs of passengers; whether they offered value for money; that the costs of upkeep and maintenance had been taken into account; and that the projects could be completed on time.
“We did, of course, make sure that these improvements both fulfilled these demands and were actually what people wanted,” said Mr Young.
“Research shows that while most of the changes will have a positive effect on the travel experience of all passengers, they will be particularly welcomed by those who are disabled or otherwise may find travelling a little difficult.
“And as one of the main objectives of the Government’s Railways for All Strategy is that barriers to travel for disabled people should be reduced, the Department for Transport encourages projects like these by making money available.
“The improvements are being delivered through a partnership between the Transport Executive and Northern Rail, which is responsible for a completely separate programme of works at Bolton-on-Dearne station, which will result in the whole of this line being upgraded over the next 12 months,” he added.