Funding to fix the platform two gap at Lewisham Station could be approved as early as 2019, a rail boss has confirmed.

Lewisham Station users have long bemoaned the large gap when alighting on platform two, with station users on Twitter describing the gap as “human-sized” and “so wide you need a running start.”

At a meeting held by Lewisham Station Users Group and attended by representatives from Lewisham Council, Network Rail, Southeastern and MPs Vicky Foxcroft and Janet Daby, the platform two gap was named as an “urgent problem.”

This was alongside gate lines, congestion and overcrowding at the station.

Alex Hellier, strategic planner for Network Rail, said the Department for Transport-owned company bid in five year blocks for funding to make improvements to its stations – with Lewisham Station a priority for the next round of funding.

“One of the things we are bidding for is the gap on platform two. The next five year period starts in the middle of 2019,” he said.

“If all that gets approved we hope to be doing something for platform two’s gap, which we know is a big concern for people,” he said.

“Lewisham is one of the top priorities for us as a station for enhancing in the next period.”

He said Network Rail had to make a business case to the government to fund improvements.

“Lewisham is at the start of that process at the moment,” he explained.

“We hope to make the case to the Government in the middle of next year to move on to the next stage for delivery

“[We will be considering] Gate lines, the platform gap, the circulation and in the long run – how it fits with the Bakerloo line.

“It is an urgent problem for us,” he said.