A new step-free access gate will be installed at St Margaret's station to make travelling easier for people with mobility issues.

The scheme is being jointly funded by South Western Railway (SWR) and the London Borough of Richmond.

Currently, the station is not accessible to passengers with reduced mobility, wheelchairs users or those who have children in prams.

Residents and councillors have, for some time, been speaking to SWR about installing street level access from Amyand Park Road to the Twickenham bound platform.

Once the access gate has been installed it will be in operation when the station is staffed.

During this time, it will be monitored by CCTV, and passengers requiring step-free access will be able to use an intercom to speak to staff who will then open it remotely.

When the station is unstaffed the access gate will be closed.

The access gate from Amyand Park Road is part of a wider investment at the station which will see the introduction of automatic ticket gates.

Work on the new ticket gates is expected to start in the spring, with a view to them going ‘live’ during the summer.

The ticket gates will be staffed between 6:00 am and midnight Monday to Saturday and for at least nine hours on Sunday.

Cllr Alexander Ehmann, Cabinet Member for Transport, Streetscene and Air Quality has been working with SWR to deliver the much-needed access gate.

He said: “St Margarets is one of the key local stations in the borough. Thousands of people use the station every day and yet it has remained a very inaccessible station.

“After years of persistent campaigning by local councillors and residents, I am pleased that we have been able to agree this side gate, that will improve access for those with mobility issues, wheelchairs and prams.”

David Wilby, SWR’s Regional Development Manager added: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with the council to improve accessibility at the station.

"We plan to make further improvements to St Margarets station over the course of our franchise, including installing energy efficient LED lighting and improved customer information screens.”

Customers who need help in boarding their train can book ahead by contacting the Assisted Travel service on: Call 0800 52 82 100 (freephone) and Textphone 0800 6920 792.

Customers wanting to travel to London Waterloo will be able to interchange at Whitton, which is fully accessible