Travel · Rail, Channel & ferries · 4 November 2026
Network Rail to spend £24m on accessibility upgrades at five western stations
Network Rail has announced a £24m programme of accessibility improvements at five stations in the west of England. The works include new lifts, footbridges and ramps, with completion dates ranging from spring 2027 to spring 2028.
Network Rail has confirmed a major investment in accessibility at five stations across the west of England. The scheme, costing more than £24m, aims to make the railway easier to use and accessible to more people. Thomas Madgwick, lead portfolio manager for Network Rail's Great Western route, said: "We're investing in stations right across the West to make the railway easier to use and accessible to more people."
At Weston-super-Mare, two new lifts are being added to the footbridge, which opened in 1884. This will provide step-free access for the first time, with the lifts due to open in autumn 2027. In Lostwithiel, a new permanent footbridge is being built to replace a temporary bridge installed in 2024. The town has not had a permanent railway footbridge since the 1960s, and the new structure is expected to open in summer 2027.
Castle Cary will receive a new accessible footbridge and lifts. Work on this station is scheduled to start after the 2027 Glastonbury Festival. Cheltenham is set to gain a new lift on the northbound platform, due to open in spring 2028. Meanwhile, improvements at Torquay station, including a 13-metre ramp, are due to be completed in spring 2027.
A community drop-in event is scheduled for 4 November from 4.30 to 6.30pm. The announcement notes that barriers at the Grenville Road level crossing can be down for a maximum of 22 minutes in an hour. No other limits or service disruptions were stated in the release.
Written by StreetOwl from Network Rail’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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