Council backs plans for Wandsworth Town & other local overground stations
A new ticket office is promised at Wandsworth Town which will be sited at the Old York Road. This will avoid the need for London-bound travellers using platform 4 to climb the stairs to the existing office on platforms 2 and 3.
Platform 4 itself will get a canopy to provide some protection from the rain while South West Trains are also looking at ways of reducing the stepping distance onto trains.
At Earlsfield there are plans to rebuild and extend the existing station entrance and ticket office and at Queenstown Road improvements to the ticket hall could include space for a shop.
Putney, which suffers from one of the most cramped and congested concourses in the capital, is also in line for a major re-fit.
South West Trains and Network Rail are planning to erect a new deck over the tracks. This will create space for a larger booking hall which will provide better conditions passengers. There will also be lifts down to the platforms.
The long-awaited investment is being supported by funds from local developers as part of their planning agreements and new transport department cash for station improvements.
Work on all the projects is expected to start by 2009 at the latest.
Executive member for planning and transportation Guy Senior said:
"These improvements are desperately needed. Anyone who travels to work from any of these stations will know just how grim the conditions are. Wandsworth Town in particular presents an obstacle course for travellers. It's particularly maddening when the ticket machine is not working and you have to dash up the stairs only to find the office closed.
"Local commuters are paying a hefty price for their rail fares. They deserve modern, more welcoming stations with proper facilities. The council welcomes the current plans and will press for firm start dates for all the different station projects."
Network Rail are also planning to lengthen platforms so that they can run 10-car trains into Waterloo. The council has called for Wandsworth Town to be included. Currently trains often arrive full at the station in the morning rush hour.
A report to the planning and transportation overview and scrutiny committee meeting on January 14 setting out the council's rail improvement priorities for the borough can be viewed at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/osc/transport
January 11, 2008
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A report to the planning and transportation overview and scrutiny committee meeting on January 14 setting out the council's rail improvement priorities for the borough can be viewed at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/osc/transport |
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