East Grinstead is to be one of two railway stations in East Sussex to benefit from step-free access for the first time, thanks to a £9 million investment.

Rail Advent reports that Network Rail began upgrades to both East Grinstead and Crowborough stations on Monday 1 November with a new footbridge and lifts. There will also be upgrades to help blind and partially sighted passengers too, with new tactile paving close to the platform edges and new CCTV cameras installed.

Katie Frost, the Sussex route director for Network Rail, said: “We are committed to improving access for passengers and this vital work will make it much easier for people to move around Crowborough and East Grinstead stations.”

Frost added that the stations are ‘important gateways’ for their respective communities, and the footbridges and lifts would provide significant benefits to them.

She said that the two stations are now more accessible to all passengers, regardless of whether they are in a wheelchair, have reduced mobility, or have luggage or pushchairs.

Network Rail has been working with local stakeholders and accessibility groups to determine the best course of action to support passengers and has made efforts to minimise disruption during the project, which is due to be completed by August 2022.

Engineers are set to build foundations on the platforms with the new lift shafts and footbridges being created off-site. They will then be lifted into position by crane during planned line closures.

Once each footbridge has been finished, engineers aim to dismantle and remove the existing station footbridges.

Network Rail is managing and delivering station accessibility enhancements as part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.

About £4.6m was invested in East Grinstead station while Crowborough station received £4.7m.

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