Southeastern has announced that six south east London stations are to have improvement work carried out, including improvements to accessibility.

Southeastern announced that 21 of its stations would be improved as part of a £4.4 million project to “enhance customer experience” on the network.

The plans will include improvements to customer information, improvements to the condition of station buildings and improving the accessibility for customers.

Bexley station’s accessible toilet will be refurbished ahead of the completion of an Access for All (AFA) scheme.

This scheme will make the station step-free and provide additional information displays across the station.

Additional improvements will also include refurbishments to the staircase to the lower car park.

At Hither Green one of the major improvements as part of the Access for All scheme will include work to make the station step-free as well as the creation of a new accessible toilet ahead of accessibility plans.

The station will also have a general redecoration with additional customer information displays at the Springbank Road entrance up to Platform 1 as well as at both subway entrances. 

Eltham station’s platform waiting areas and shelters are set to be improved with design work “unerway” according to Southeastern.

Orpington station’s female toilets will also be refurbished as part of the scheme.

Beckenham Junction station will have more space created in the booking hall, as well as refurbishments to the waiting room and toilets.

At Woolwich Arsenal station, the booking hall is planned to be rebuilt and extended along with the installation of new flooring and lighting.

Finally, Maze Hill’s booking hall is set to be refurbished as part of the improvement plans.

David Wornham, Passenger Services Director for Southeastern said that the plans to make stations more accessible go further than the installation of new lifts and footbridges.

David Wornham, Passenger Services Director for Southeastern, said:

“We want the best possible facilities for our customers across our network which is why we’ve targeted our investment at stations where work to improve accessibility is about to begin or has recently been completed as a result of government investment under the Access for All scheme.

“Making stations step-free isn’t just about new lifts and footbridges but often also about the smaller but just as important items such as removing barriers to the use of waiting rooms and ensuring that customer help points and information screens are in the right places.

“Where possible, we’re also taking the opportunity to spruce up paintwork and improve the ambience of these stations, as well as taking the opportunity to plan for the future as people return to the railway.”

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail Kent route director, said that the company is “committed” to improving facilities at its stations.

She added that railway accessibility remains a “key focus” and the investment will go towards further plans to making more stations accessible.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail Kent route director, said: “We are delighted to be making a significant investment into improving a number of stations across Kent and south east London in partnership with our colleagues at Southeastern.

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“We are committed to improving the facilities at our stations and want our passengers to have the best possible experience when travelling by rail.

“Many of these improvements will contribute towards passengers enjoying smoother, more pleasant journeys and improve many of the station facilities passengers should be able to expect on a modern fit for purpose railway.

“The accessibility of the railway remains a key focus and it’s great that much of this investment will go towards making the railway even more accessible including refurbishing accessible toilets at many of these stations and installing new and refurbishing existing ramps.

“This will be complimented by our plans to make a number of these stations fully accessible through the Government’s Access for All programme.”