A new entrance at Burnham station has been opened ahead of the commencement of Elizabeth Line trains starting in 2022.
The project has seen a working partnership between Transport for London (TfL), operator MTR Elizabeth line and their contractor Walker Construction Ltd.
Burnham's new station building brings improvements in access providing more space for passengers alongside a new cycle parking area
The improvements at the station include a brand new and more spacious ticket office building, an accessible ticket window, new ticket vending machines, automatic ticket gates, and customer information screens that show live travel information.
At platform level, the canopy has been cleaned, repaired and redecorated and a full refurbishment of the customer toilets has taken place. The station also now has a new cycle parking area making life easier for those cycling in the local area and providing over 45 spaces.
This project builds on improvement work carried out by Network Rail that was completed during 2019 and saw the installation of a lift creating step-free access for both platforms for the first time in the station history.
Howard Smith, Chief Operating Officer for the Elizabeth line, said:“Burnham station has had quite the transformation ahead of the Elizabeth line opening in the first half of this year. The improvements, particularly the bright new ticket office building and the new cycle parking area, will help make Burnham station and the surrounding area a far safer and easier place to navigate.”
Cllr Rob Anderson, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport & The Environment, Slough Borough Council, said:
“It is great to see these improvements to Burnham station. If we as a town and as a Nation are going to protect our climate globally and reduce pollution locally, we have to make public transport more attractive to everyone. This is a major step in that direction.”
Cllr Marie Hammon, Chair of Burnham Parish Council, said: “The state-of-the-art facilities, shining new look, easy access and enhanced eco-friendly cycle park area is a real gift in advance of the Elizabeth line services in the first half of this year. Burnham station will be lifted out of the past and propelled well into the 21st century, we are delighted that our residents shall benefit from this excellent transformation.”
Trial Operations began on the central section of the Elizabeth line during November 2021, and the railway will move forward to its next phase shortly and will see large scale exercises for staff and partner organisations. The Trial Operations represent the end stage of the programme ahead of the Elizabeth line opening for passenger services between Paddington and Abbey Wood.
During the early stages of the Elizabeth lines initial opening, passengers travelling from Burnham will need to change at Paddington for services headed to central London before being able to make direct trips once the route opens fully.
Burnham will continue to see work carried out as the refurbishment of the subway and the conversion of the old ticket office on the platform level is repurposed into a new retail facility and waiting area.
Shenfield station could do with a new entrance on the other side or a underpass to be built to allow people parking their cars at the far end car park. Which would make it lot easier to get to the station.