£8m revamp for Clapham Junction (From Wimbledon Guardian)

£8m revamp for Clapham Junction

11:28am Tuesday 10th April 2007

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Network Rail has announced plans to spend £8million on lifts and a new entrance to ease congestion at Clapham Junction station.

The announcement came as part of the company's plan to spend £2.4billion over the next two years on a programme of expansion across the network.

New lifts will connect the ground level of the station to the bridge which links platforms, and another entrance, on St John Hill, will be opened.

Extra staircases to four platforms will also be constructed.

The money for the lifts comes from the Government's Department for Transport access for all fund, to bring Clapham Junction in line with the new Disability Discrimination Act.

Battersea MP Martin Linton has praised these new developments.

He said he has been campaigning for disability access ever since he was elected.

Mr Linton said: "I have constituents that live in Falcon Road, Battersea, who say to me they have to get a taxi to Victoria before they can get on a train because access at Clapham Junction is so hard."

Councillor Guy Senior, cabinet member for planning and transportation at Wandsworth Council, said: "This announcement is a real step in the right direction.

"A resolution to the issue of overcrowding and station access for people with disabilities is long overdue.

"I am glad money has now been put aside and dates set for the implementation of these changes."

Clapham Junction is Britain's busiest train station and continues to be heavily congested at peak travel times.

Last year members of the Battersea Society met with representatives of Network Rail and Transport for London to discuss the problems of access for Clapham Junction.

This latest announcement has been welcomed by the society.

Secretary Harvey Heath said: "This is really good news.

"The new entrance from St John's Hill will hopefully encourage more people to use the overbridge and not the main tunnel.

"This should ease the congestion flow of travel from the current main entrance."

The £2million will also be used to complete electrical renewals at the station. The additional staircases will be on platforms 11, 12, 15 and 16.

Have you had travel nightmares at Clapham Junction station? We want to hear from you: email plriche@londonnewsquest.co.uk, or call 020 8330 9535.

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