Much-needed and long-awaited new lifts open at Warwick railway station
The much-needed lifts at Warwick railway station have now opened.
For the past 18 months, construction has been taking place at the station to install two new lifts, which been funded by the Government through the Access to All programme.
Commenting on the opening of the lifts, Councillor John Holland (Labour, Warwick West) said: "There are many people who cannot manage steps including people with prams or people who use a wheelchair, and it has been impossible to use the southbound platform.
"The new lifts link to the subway to improve the accessibility of the station.”
Cllr Holland, who has spent more than 20 years campaigning for the lifts, added: “Thanks to funding from the Department for Transport, the new lifts at Warwick Station have been the first project to start and finish under the Access to All programme.
"After years of frustration and nothing happening, the funding was unblocked by the new local MP, Matt Western, after he put pressure on the then Government.
“Retrofitting lifts to a 175 year old station was not easy and has taken a lot of hard work.
"Full credit to the Solihull and Leamington Rail Users Association, Chiltern Railways, Network Rail and all members of the public who supported our campaign.”
Launched back in 2006 by the then Labour Government, the ‘Access for All’ programme was designed to address issues faced by disabled passengers and those experiencing mobility restraints, such as heavy luggage or pushchairs, when using railway stations across the country.
Funding from the programme is used to create an obstacle-free, accessible route between a station’s entrance and platform. This often includes the provision of lifts or ramps, as well as refurbishments associated with these works.
Matt Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington, said that the new lifts have brought ‘much-needed access’ to a vital transport link in Warwick.
He said: “Huge gratitude to Cllr Holland for his tireless campaign to improve accessibility for passengers at Warwick Train Station.
“Between April 2023 and March 2024, over 515,000 passengers used Warwick Train Station.
"These new lifts will improve the accessibility for many passengers with reduced mobility who have previously struggled to get to the platform at Warwick railway station.
"I hope that they will also give greater confidence to constituents with reduced mobility to travel by train to our nearby towns and cities for work or leisure.”
Network Rail have been approached for a comment.