Major upgrade to passenger lifts at Macclesfield station starts next week

Tuesday, 12 January 2021 12:38

Passengers are being advised about work starting next week to replace lifts at Macclesfield station.

A much-needed £400,000 investment as part of the Great North Rail Project will make step-free access more reliable to station platforms.

Work will start on Wednesday 20 January and take place until Wednesday 31 March 2021.

During the work, staff will be on hand at Macclesfield station to assist passengers.

Both lifts will be improved at the same time and will be out of use.

For passengers this means:

No step free access will be available at Macclesfield station between Wednesday 20 January and Wednesday 31 March.
Anyone who needs step-free access should book assisted travel with their specific train operator*.
During the lift upgrade work, tickets will be valid for passengers to travel via the nearest step-free stations**.
While the lifts are out of use, only Platform 1 will have step-free access. This platform is used for trains travelling north.

Tom Wadsworth, senior asset engineer for buildings at Network Rail, said: "This lift upgrade will improve Macclesfield station as we get it in the best possible shape for passengers when measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 can be eased. The work is a key step in ensuring the station remains accessible for everyone for years to come.

“We're asking passengers with additional accessibility needs who must travel during this latest coronavirus lockdown to plan their journeys in advance while Macclesfield station's lifts are out of use. I’d also urge them to book assisted travel with their specific train operator.

“We understand the upgrade will be disruptive for passengers and we are working closely with station operators to make everyone’s journey as easy as it can be during the lift upgrades."

Laura Harper, Avanti West Coast station manager at Macclesfield, said: “We’re working with Network Rail and industry partners to help customers as the works to upgrade the lifts at Macclesfield station take place.

"As always, our teams will be on hand to help customers travelling to and from Macclesfield during this time but we strongly recommend customers plan ahead, check before they travel and leave extra time for their journey.

"We would like to thank customers for their patience while Network Rail undertake this latest scheme for the Great North Rail Project.”

John Robson, CrossCountry regional director West Midlands and North West, said: “We understand this work may cause some short term disruption for passengers. However, when complete it will mean better and more reliable step-free access, and an easier travel experience for everyone using the station lifts.”

Councillor Craig Browne, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “We warmly welcome this significant investment at Macclesfield railway station which will improve access facilities for passengers and visitors to the town.

“I would like to thank rail users in advance for their patience while these works are undertaken and for any inconvenience experienced.

“I would also encourage any passenger with access needs or disability to contact their train operator’s passenger assistance service, in advance of their planned trip, to arrange support for their journey.

“The rail station is a key gateway for Macclesfield and it is great news that this investment will improve passenger facilities and help prepare the station for the expected increase in passengers once HS2 high-speed rail to Crewe and beyond is delivered. It is another vote of confidence in the future of Macclesfield.”

Passengers are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys and to plan in advance on the National Rail Enquiries journey planner at

* Contact details for the Passenger Assistance service are as follows:

Avanti West Coast Assisted Travel – 08000 158 123
Northern Trains Passenger Assistance – 0800 138 5560
CrossCountry Trains Travel Assistance – 0800 030 9224

** Customers travelling south (from Manchester/Stockport) to Macclesfield are advised to continue their journey to Stoke-on-Trent, change platforms and take a Northbound service to Macclesfield. Customers travelling south from Macclesfield are advised to travel to Stockport, change platforms and take a Southbound service

For Northern stations and services:

The nearest accessible Northern station is Cheadle Hulme (18 minutes away from Macclesfield by train). For assistance at Northern stations, passengers are advised to speak to a member of station staff or contact the Northern Passenger Assist team.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

About Network Rail:

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of Britain's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in Britain and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.