Network Rail is ready to begin work on Finsbury Park station to improve accessibility for passengers.
Finsbury Park Railway station is an important and very busy location on the rail network, being a strategic interchange for several services across London.
Work commences on the scheme on Saturday the 31st of July and will be carried out by Transport for London, Govia Thameslink Railway, with the project being funded via the Department for Transport's Access for All scheme.
The project will involve the installation of two new lifts to provide access to platforms 3/4 and 7/8 and when complete will provide the entire station with step-free access.
Along with the lift installations, other passenger improvements will take place such as updating signs providing easier access for people at the station, tactile paving along platforms, and improving floor surface.
There will also be upgrades to platform lighting, more CCTV cameras, and moving the gate line from platform 3/4 to the entrance at Station Place which will make it much easier for people to make their way through the station.
The work will not affect services and it is expected that passengers using the station and people living in the area will experience as little impact as possible.
For the worksite to be set up safely, Stroud Green Road which runs next to the station will be closed from 6 am on the weekend of Saturday 31st July to Sunday the 1st of August.
Signposts will be in place offering diversions for drivers. During the entire project, the footpath and cycle path which is on one side of Stroud Green Road and runs under the bridge at the station will be closed which will mean cyclists will need to dismount and use the other side of the road for the length of the bridge, after this point they will be able to get back on the cycle lane on the other side.
Paul Rutter, Route Director for Network Rail's East Coast route, said: “This latest project underlines our commitment to provide easy access for all passengers and to continue to ensure stations remain places where people feel safe and comfortable.
“Since receiving the Access for All funding, we've worked closely with local stakeholders and accessibility groups to find the best option for passengers, whilst at the same time designing the scheme to minimise disruption as much as possible.”
Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: “It is brilliant to see work beginning on these vital improvements, funded by our Access for All programme.
“Our ambition is that the entire transport network is accessible to every passenger by 2030, and these works will help build a more modern, inclusive system.”
Tom Moran, Managing Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “On behalf of our passengers, we welcome this major investment to make Finsbury Park station completely step free between all platforms and the street.
“We're committed to making our services accessible for everyone, and this scheme will improve journeys for many thousands of our customers, particularly people for whom the lack of lifts made some platforms difficult to use. Network Rail have worked closely with us to minimise disruption during the work.”
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