Published on: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Last updated: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Above: A new train passes through Colchester station. Credit: Greater Anglia
Work is about to start to replace the passenger lifts at Colchester train station to improve facilities for customers.
As a result, passengers are being advised that both lifts will be out of use from 5 January 2023 until the end of March.
The lifts – on platforms 1 & 2 and 3 to 6 - have reached the end of their life and are therefore more likely to break down because of their age.
With replacement parts being extremely hard to get hold of, which could result in the lifts being out of use for longer if they did break down, they urgently need to be replaced with brand new, more reliable ones.
Both lifts will be replaced at the same time to complete the work in the quickest possible time, to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
For passengers who cannot use the stairs, Greater Anglia is putting in place a number of measures to enable people with accessibility needs to continue to travel around the station, measures which have been agreed with Greater Anglia’s Accessibility Panel.
These include the installation of a new stair lift to platforms 1 and 2, extra staff available to help people use the stair lifts and change platforms, and a minibus available 24/7 to help people who cannot use the stairs or stair lifts to change platforms.
An information page with full details of the work and how it may affect people’s journeys is available at greateranglia.co.uk/lifts
Those who cannot use the stairs at Colchester station are advised to plan in advance, allowing extra time for their journeys and contacting Greater Anglia’s Passenger Assist service to discuss their journey in advance on 0800 028 2878 (free from landlines and mobiles), or Text Type: 18001 0800 028 2878.
Greater Anglia’s Asset Management Director, Simone Bailey, said, “We are very sorry for the inconvenience while we renew the lifts at Colchester. This work is essential to maintain the function and reliability of the lifts and will improve passenger facilities at Colchester station.
“We are doing the work now because it is a quieter time for the station – which sees many more people passing through and changing trains during the summer, while travelling to/from the lines that lead to the Essex coast.
“We will do everything we can to ensure people can still make their journeys with as little inconvenience as possible while this work is being carried out and look forward to getting the new lifts open as quickly as possible.”
Separately, in 2020, Greater Anglia secured Access for All funding to build a new passenger lift at Colchester station that will link the platforms and subway to the main booking hall and car park.
This scheme is currently in the early design stages and means that, in the future, Colchester station will become entirely step free, benefiting people with restricted mobility.
The bid was supported by Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council and the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership.
Greater Anglia is advising people to avoid travelling on 6 and 7 January 2023, when industrial action is taking place that will affect services. More information is available here: https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/strikes