Community welcomes new step-free access at Walton station
It's the first it's been step free since the station opened in 1838
For the first time since the station opened in 1838, customers will benefit from step-free access at Walton.
Passengers with impaired mobility can now benefit from a new footbridge and lifts at the station.
The £6m programme, started in September 2022, included a range of improvements including a new bridge, lifts and staircases, plus the widening of platform 1 and new CCTV cameras. The scheme also aims to make it easier to travel for those with prams, heavy luggage or bikes.
Carinder Malhi, 35, who lives in Walton and “loves going out and about”, said the new step-free access bridge will make “such a difference”. Speaking at the formal opening of the step-free bridge on August 30, Carinder said he often goes into Kingston or London but the new bridge will mean he can go to more places.
Carinder spoke about how he sometimes has issues with the ramps and how steep they are on the local buses or trains. Yasmin, who works with Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, explained it is often the fear of what could happen which puts people off from travelling.
According to the Department for Transport only a fifth of Britain’s 2,575 railway stations have step-free access to and between all platforms. This group of stations accounts for over three quarters of all rail journeys.
Present at the opening was several Network Rail and Southwestern Railway (SWR) representatives. Alex Foulds, Projects and Change Director at SWR, said train stations are “still not there yet” but the new bridge was a “step in the right direction”.
Walton on Thames is just one of 73 stations included in the 2019 ‘Access for All’ scheme. The project aims to create an obstacle free, accessible route from the station entrance to the platforms.
“Travelling with confidence is fundamental for opportunities and freedom,” said MP for Esher and Walton, Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat). She welcomed the investment in the local community, and called the ‘Access for All’ scheme a “source of pride” in helping people.
Spanning across platforms 1 and 2, the roofless bridge took several weeks to install as one piece. Representatives for the train and engineering companies thanked residents for their patience during the construction of the bridge and the station.