Two cranes, One footbridge: Hither Green station's step-free footbridge installed

"Over the Bank Holiday weekend, a huge new footbridge was lifted into position over Hither Green railway station as part of a £27 million project to provide step-free access to the station. During the weekend engineering works, contractors needed two large cranes - a 500-tonne and a 650-tonne - to lift the new bridge, which spans the full width of the station and will link up with new station entrances on Fernbrook Road and Springbank Road."

"One of the advantages Network Rail highlights for the scheme is that it ties all the platforms together into a single route, rather than the current layout, which is more like two separate stations that just happen to sit next to each other. Because of the size of the footbridge needed to provide step-free access and because it will span six platforms, the project is probably England's largest step-free railway project."

"The wider scheme will also add four 16-person lifts, new staircases, and a passageway linking platforms 4 and 5, making it easier for disabled passengers, as well as people travelling with luggage or pushchairs, to move around the station. Additional improvements planned as part of the project include new CCTV, upgraded public announcement and customer information systems, ticket machines and Oyster card readers."

"When the £28m programme funded by the Department for Transport is complete by summer 2027, there will be step-free access from the street to the platform for the first time. That's a slight improvement on the delivery time, which had previously been aiming to open the footbridge and lifts in autumn 2027."

A £27 million project will deliver step-free access at Hither Green railway station by lifting a new footbridge into position over the station during a Bank Holiday weekend. Two large cranes, 500-tonne and 650-tonne, will place a bridge spanning the full width of the station and linking new entrances on Fernbrook Road and Springbank Road. The scheme connects all platforms into a single route, replacing a layout that functions like two separate stations. The bridge spans six platforms, making the project likely England’s largest step-free railway scheme. The wider works add four 16-person lifts, new staircases, and a passageway between platforms 4 and 5, plus CCTV, upgraded announcements, customer information systems, ticket machines, and Oyster card readers. Completion is planned for summer 2027.

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