CAMPAIGNERS have won a 20-year battle to get a new bridge, with access for the disabled at a Warrington railway station.
The Department for Transport has announced it is making a £1 million “Access for All” grant towards the cost of a new footbridge, with lifts for the disabled, linking the two platforms at Birchwood station.
A partnership made up of the borough council, Warrington Disability Partnership, Birchwood Forum, Stronger Together Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, Birchwood Town Council and others backed the bid.
Total cost the project, expected to be completed in two years’ time, is £1.4 million.
Match funding of £390,000 has already been made available through the borough council.
Dave Thompson, chairman of Warrington Disability Partnership, said: “This is fantastic news for the whole community, not just for disabled people, also parents with pushchairs and prams, children, frail elderly, and those who have temporary impairments.”
The money is part of a £37.5 million package of “Access for All” funding designed to provide accessible, step-free routes at key stations across the country.
A new foot bridge and two lifts will be provided.
2 Comments
Congratulations to all involved as an able bodied person who has used the bridge it is certainly a challenge with a bike so I’ve no idea how the disabled, visually impaired, parent and guardians with push chairs and young children cope.
My only question at the moment is will system also be available to non-station users, i.e. people travelling from Longbarn/Woolston to Birchwood and back be able to make use of the facilities? I believe that there is money from a 106 agreement from the Olympic Park complex to improve the paths. It would be great if this could be all joined up and result in encouraging more people to use the route on foot and by bike.
A big thank you for the support offered by the Cheshire and Warrington LEP in this too. Having their backing almost certainly helped the bid along.