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Three train stations set for huge revamp

Ruth Bradley,Politics reporter, Somersetand
Daniel Mumby,Local Democracy Reporting Service
News imageNetwork Rail A computer-generated image of a bridge with green railings with steps up from each platform and also a lift shaft on each platform going up to the bridge, There are white planters with purple flowers in the foreground in the car park. On the other side of the station there are green fieldsNetwork Rail
An artist's impression of the new lifts and bridge at Castle Cary station

Three train stations across the West of England are set to undergo multi-million-pound revamps.

Castle Cary, Weston-super-Mare and Cheltenham stations are to get a share of £24m of investment in accessibility measures including new lifts, bridges and ramps.

Jane Wickenden, a wheelchair user, said it will make a big difference to her life as when there are no staff working at Castle Cary in Somerset in the evening, she has to use another station and then pay for a taxi back to her car.

Thomas Madgwick, from Network Rail, said: "These projects will make a real difference to people using our stations every day."

News imageJane Wickenden A woman in a dark green top against a white wall with the handle of her wheelchair visibleJane Wickenden
Wickenden says she is "really pleased" her local station will become step-free

Castle Cary station, which is on the main line to London Paddington, has three platforms that are accessed by footbridge.

Wickenden, who have cerebral palsy, said crossing the tracks via a staffed level crossing "isn't the most comfortable thing" and is "quite unnerving".

News imageNetwork Rail A grey modern lift shaft running up alongside a stone building leading to a covered footbridge with green detailing over railway tracks at a stationNetwork Rail
At Weston-super-Mare, two new lifts are being added to the station's Grade II-listed footbridge

Network Rail has confirmed a new footbridge with two lift shafts will be built west of the ticket office, with work set to begin after June 2027 to avoid a clash with the Glastonbury Festival.

The new footbridge should be complete by 2028 and the existing footbridge will be retained to provide additional capacity during major events.

At Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset two new lifts are being added to the station's Grade II-listed footbridge, providing step-free access between platforms for the first time.

The historic footbridge first opened in 1884, with the new lifts due to open to passengers in autumn 2027.

Cheltenham Spa Train Station will benefit from a new lift at the northbound platform alongside a new accessible ramp for the southbound platform.

Both platforms currently have steep ramps. The lift is due to open in spring 2028.

Joe Graham, from GWR, said: "We want everyone to feel confident and comfortable using the railway and improving accessibility at stations is an important part of that."

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