Passengers at Hertford North station are now benefiting from step-free access to all platforms after the completion of a major accessibility improvement scheme.
On Friday 6 November representatives from Network Rail, BAM, station operator Great Northern and the community came together with Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford, and Peter Ruffles, former councillor and long time campaigner, to mark the opening of a new lift serving platform 1.
The lift provides a step-free route to the platform, making journeys easier for disabled passengers and people with limited mobility, as well as those travelling with pushchairs, luggage or young children. Platforms 2 and 3 already had step-free access, meaning the entire station is now accessible without using stairs.
The improvement has been delivered through the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme, which is designed to remove barriers to rail travel and help passengers move more independently around stations. More than 200 stations across Britain’s rail network have been upgraded through the programme.
Nicola Butterworth, Network Rail senior sponsor, said: “We’re delighted that the new lift at Hertford North is now open and passengers are benefiting from step-free access across the station.
“This is an important improvement which will make a real difference to people who previously found using platform 1 difficult, helping to make the railway easier and more accessible.
“We’d like to thank passengers and the local community for their patience while we carried out the work, as well as our partners who have helped us deliver the scheme.”
The opening comes as passengers using Hertford North are also set to benefit from more frequent trains. Great Northern has announced that from Monday 14 December it will double its off-peak service between Moorgate and Hertford North, with four trains an hour from Monday to Saturday improving connectivity across North London and Hertfordshire.
Antony Merlyn, accessibility engagement manager at Great Northern, said: “Hertford North is one of our busier stations, used by more than one million people every year, and the new lift and increase in off-peak service is fantastic news for the community and our passengers.
“We look forward to welcoming new customers at Hertford North who previously couldn’t use the station. Lifts benefit everyone who finds stairs a barrier, and for some disabled passengers this project has the potential to be life-changing.”
Image credit: Network Rail