Work resumes on Access for All footbridges at Kidsgrove station

The old footbridges at Kidsgrove station, which has an unusual triangular shape, are to be replaced with new bridges and lifts as part of the Access for All scheme, providing step-free access to all four platforms for the first time.

Network Rail began the multi-million-pound station upgrade in 2018 but had to pause the project in 2019 as poor ground conditions caused by unmapped mine shafts underground meant the footbridge could not be built to its original plans.

However, from Monday 18 January 2021, work will start to secure the ground so the footbridge work can resume. Work will take place between January and May 2021, every weekday between the hours of 8am and 6pm, and overnight on Saturday nights from 1am until 5am when trains are not running.

The work will not disrupt trains, but the station will look and feel different for passengers while construction continues.

Deborah Fairweather, sponsor for Network Rail on the project, said: “We understand how frustrating this delay has been for passengers, but after many months of hard work I’m please to say we are now ready to provide a firm footing for the new footbridge at Kidsgrove station.

“I’d like to thank people for their continued patience while we work to transform accessibility at Kidsgrove. We’ll be making progress throughout this period of national lockdown as part of Network Rail’s commitment to build back better and get the railway ready for when Britain emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.”

The vital upgrade will see lifts built at either side of platforms 1,2, 3 and 4 with the new footbridge linking the platforms.