Kingston station finally open to everyone (From Your Local Guardian)

Kingston station finally open to everyone

12:55pm Friday 15th August 2008 in Kingston By David Lindsell

Two passenger lifts have opened at Kingston train station finally bringing to an end its status as a ‘no-go’ area for disabled people.

The £2.1m project managed by Network Rail with money from the Department for Transport started last summer and was formally opened this morning by Stuart Palmer the managing director of South West Trains.

Halfway through the ceremony a young mum with a pushchair emerged from the lift to catch her southbound train unaware of the excitement surrounding the brand new lifts which have CCTV and telephone links.

Despite the length of time it has taken to arrive, Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey believed congratulations were in order.

“We have long waited for it and argued for it and it has been delivered at long last,” he said.

“I have 10 stations in my constituency and clearly we want to see more progress at places like New Malden, our busiest station, but also Norbiton which serves the hospital and stations like Chessington South.”

The first to ascend and descend after the ribbon was cut was Jane Lawrence, who uses a wheelchair.

The former chairman of Kingston Centre for Independent Living had given up trying to get onto the platform at Kingston years ago after trying to negotiate the steep staircase.

She said: “I used it once with great difficulty with the stair climber. It was awful. I missed the train as it was so slow.”

Adapting the Victorian era station was not easy according to Richard O’Brien, Network Rail route director, who said: “The station was built in an age when access was not quite the priority it should have been.

“Retro-fitting it has been a challenge which all to often falls into the too difficult box. I am delighted that the Department for Transport have put their money where their mouth is.”

Paul Bentley, access and integration manager for South West Trains, said: “This is part of our ongoing commitment to making rail travel simpler and more accessible for disabled passengers and will make a real difference to people using the station.”