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Twickenham Station revamp project receives £1.6million boost

Summary:

The grant will be used to replace the dilapidated footbridge connecting the platforms with a newer modern structure and a new ticket office area.

Image:

By Helen Wright

Over a million pounds in funding has been awarded by the Greater London Authority to help revamp Twickenham Station.

The £1.6m regeneration grant will be used to replace the dilapidated footbridge connecting the platforms with a newer modern structure and a new ticket office area.

Platform improvements have also been demanded by the council from the developer as part of their planning agreement.

Lord True, Leader of Richmond Council, says that the station is struggling to cope at maximum capacity.

He said: “There is no-one in Twickenham who does not think the current station is an utter disgrace to our town and hugely inadequate.

“This morning when I walked through the crumbling facilities, that don’t comply with Disability Discrimination Act requirements.

At platform level more substantial improvements will be made and the canopies over platforms will be lengthened allowing passengers to stay drier for longer.

It is anticipated that the other footbridge that links Mary’s Terrace to Cole Park Road will be revamped.  

The regeneration grants will pay for the significant improvements so that the run-down station is transformed in time for the 2015 Rugby World Cup ensuring it will be able to cope with the extra footfall.     

An extra 400,000 people are expected to arrive by train at Twickenham for the World Cup, in addition to the thousands of commuters who use the station every day.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said that the improvements would vastly improve the daily journeys of hard working locals.  

He said: “This vital investment will not only improve the experience for all commuters and visitors, it will crucially support and create valuable jobs during its construction and that of the wider station works as well as boosting the local economy for years to come.”

Further funding contributions associated with the project include a £293,000 developer contribution, primarily for investment in schools and a £32,000 grant to improve the recently damaged River Crane.

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