Two new lifts have been installed at Irlam station as part of a £5.75m investment to make the station easier to use for all passengers.
Providing easy, step free access to and from the platforms, the scheme is part of a rolling programme of upgrades aimed at boosting access to Greater Manchester’s rail network.
To celebrate the completion of the works Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Salford’s Statutory Deputy City Mayor, Councillor Tracy Kelly, were joined at the station by accessibility campaigners, members of the community and the Hamilton Davies Trust for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The improvements – funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) – are part of a collaborative effort between Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE) and Network Rail.
The accessibility upgrades will make the station much easier for passengers to use, especially those who are wheelchair users, have limited mobility, or are travelling with bicycles, pushchairs or luggage.
It follows the completion of works at Daisy Hill last month and is all part of Greater Manchester’s push to make twice as many rail stations in the city-region step-free in the next three years than in the preceding decade.
Work on step-free access schemes at Swinton, Hindley, Bryn and Reddish North are all scheduled to get under way next year, with accessibility improvements at Flowery Field, Newton for Hyde, Bredbury and Levenshulme to follow.
