en.Wedoany.com Reported - A new footbridge connecting all platforms at Heather Green Station in the UK has been lifted into place over the early May bank holiday weekend, as part of a £28 million project to provide step-free access for the first time.

Network Rail stated that the footbridge structure was installed on Saturday, 2 May using 500-tonne and 750-tonne cranes, forming part of the Department for Transport-funded 'Access for All' project. The refurbishment will also include four 16-person capacity lifts, new staircases, a link bridge between platforms 4 and 5, and new concourse entrances on Fernbrook Road and Springbank Road. Once completed, the project aims to deliver step-free access from street to platform, improving journeys for people with disabilities, passengers with luggage, and those with pushchairs. New CCTV, public address systems, passenger information displays, ticket machines, and Oyster card readers will also be installed.

Construction is being managed by Network Rail, with Bam as the contractor, Fereday Pollard & Partners Architects as the designer, Arcadis as the civil engineering designer, and McNealy Brown responsible for the manufacture and installation of the footbridge's main structure. The developer stated that the project is expected to be fully completed by autumn 2027. These works form part of the government's 'Access for All' initiative to improve accessibility at railway stations across the country.

As part of environmental mitigation measures, the project will also include the restoration and replanting of a nearby nature reserve to support biodiversity. Station works will continue alongside normal train services.

Paul Richmond, Senior Project Sponsor at Network Rail, said: "The hard work at the station is beginning to show, and it is already clear how the ongoing improvements will significantly enhance the experience for passengers at Heather Green. The lifting of the new footbridge into place is a significant moment, meaning people can see for the first time the scale of the engineering that will make Heather Green an accessible station. We look forward to progressing this work further by the end of the year."

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