Lift shafts installed at St Erth as footbridge project reaches major milestone

(News release Network Rail:) Network Rail’s project to build a new accessible footbridge at St Erth station in West Cornwall has reached a milestone with the successful installation of two lift shafts.

The shafts, weighing 12 and 10 tonnes each, were lifted into place by a 350-tonne crane. Two steel supports for the footbridge were also installed.

The work was carried out by Network Rail’s contractor, BAM Nuttall, on a Saturday night after trains had stopped running, avoiding disruption for passengers.

When complete this winter, the grade II-listed station will become fully accessible for the first time since it was built in 1852.

The next major stage of work will see the bridge deck lifted into place and the current footbridge carefully dismantled and rebuilt at Cranmore station on the East Somerset Railway – a heritage steam railway.

The work, part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme, continues Network Rail’s investment on the iconic St Ives branch line, which carries a million passengers a year, supporting tourism and businesses in the area.

Alina Wolfe Murray, Network Rail senior sponsor, said:  ‘It’s exciting to see a major stage of the project successfully completed and we’d like to thank local residents and passengers for their patience. We have planned our work to cause as little disruption as possible, especially during the busy summer months.  When complete, more people than ever will be able to use the railway and passengers will be able to get around St Erth station much more easily.’

Yan Sayles, senior project manager at BAM Nuttall, said: ‘Installing the lift shafts here at St Erth station brings us one step closer to making the station accessible for all. BAM is working in close partnership with Network Rail, carefully planning the work, to avoid disruption for passengers and minimise the impact on local residents.’

Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for transport, said:  ‘We are committed to ensuring that Cornwall is accessible to everyone who is living, visiting or working in the Duchy. The improvements to this key interchange are very good news for residents, commuters and visitors and mean that even more people can use public transport to travel to work, and for health, education, shopping and leisure. It means less reliance on the car in the shift towards more sustainable transport with better integrated rail and bus facilities.’

Sharon Holloway, GWR West Cornwall station manager, said: ‘We’re delighted this planned work for St Erth station has begun. We are absolutely committed to improving access to the full range of services the railway can offer. This work, once complete, will make the station fully accessible for the first time in its history, adding massive benefits to the local economy, and the community of St Erth and the surrounding area. The station is extremely well used and the lifts will enhance our customers’ experience as they embark on another GWR adventure.’

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