Lifts for Leatherhead!

Southern and Network Rail have issued the following press release:

A Network Rail project to improve the accessibility of Southern’s Leatherhead station has now been completed with the opening of a new footbridge and lifts between the platforms.

In partnership with the Department for Transport’s ‘Access for All’ scheme, an investment of £6.2 million means that the station is now much easier to use for customers that are wheelchair users, have limited mobility, or are travelling with heavy luggage, bicycles and pushchairs.

Southern has also improved facilities to make it safer and more secure for passengers who cycle to the station sustainably.

While Leatherhead was previously considered step-free, passengers had a long, steep and difficult route out of the station and under a railway bridge to switch between platforms avoiding stairs.

Work on the new station footbridge and lifts, which are each big enough for 16 people, began in January 2024. It now provides step-free access to each platform.

New CCTV cameras and lighting were installed, with minor modifications also carried out to the existing ramps, and widening work on platform 2 undertaken to accommodate the lift there.

The station remained open throughout the work, meaning there was no impact on how passengers accessed the station. The existing subway with steps at the station has also been retained and will remain open to customers.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex Route Director, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to open our latest Access for All scheme at Leatherhead, which will provide step-free access to those in wheelchairs, or with pushchairs or heavy luggage to be able to reach their trains.

“We want our railway to be as inclusive as possible and Access for All is opening up travel by rail to more and more people. Leatherhead is just the latest station to be completed with more to come across our network over the next few years. Work has also started on a major scheme at Hither Green, and another project at Herne Bay has just been completed.”

Southern enhances sustainable travel

To complement the scheme, Southern has improved existing facilities at the station by building a new cycle hub on platform 1 for 26 bikes with a pump and maintenance area, all protected by a key fob entry system to deter bike thieves.

And at the entrance to platform 2, Southern has put in a new double-decker bike rack for another 32 bikes and a parking area for six motorbikes. CCTV and lighting has also been upgraded to further improve safety and security.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director at Govia Thameslink Railway which runs Southern trains, said: “Network Rail should be congratulated for delivering this scheme; we've had some great feedback already from passengers who really love the new bridge and lifts.

"The changes have made it much easier to get to and from the platforms, step-free. Lifts benefit everyone who finds stairs a barrier, and for some disabled passengers this project has the potential to be life-changing.

"Coupled with the extra work we've done to make it safer and more secure for people who cycle to the station sustainably, we think this investment will make a huge difference for many local people.”

Leatherhead is the latest station to benefit from accessibility upgrades south of the River Thames as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Access for All scheme, following Carshalton (August 2019), Coulsdon South (August 2020), Catford, Crawley, Eridge, Selhurst (October 2020), Canterbury East (August 2021), St Mary Cray (January 2022), East Grinstead (September 2022), Chatham (November 2022), Crowborough (February 2023), Streatham (December 2023), Streatham (December 2023), Petts Wood (December 2023), Bexley (April 2023), Plumstead (November 2024), Isleworth (July 2024), Walton-on-Thames (August 2024), Motspur Park (January 2025), Barnes (February 2025), Tooting (February 2025), Herne Bay (April 2025) and Shortlands (April 2025).

ENDS