Community Rail Lancashire (CRL), in partnership with the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership (ELCRP) recently secured a grant from Arriva Rail North’s Seed Corn Fund to commission a study to look at how access at Burnley Manchester Road station could be improved especially between the two platforms.
Burnley Manchester Road station – Simon Clarke
The partnership commissioned Seed Architects to undertake the study and this followed the format used by Northern and Network Rail in the development of options for Access for All schemes. After an initial discussion three options were considered although this was later reduced to two.
In addition to the report CRL & ELCRP decided it would be useful to develop display panels showing the two options and allowing stakeholders and passengers to identify their preferred option. The panels will also be displayed at a meeting of Burnley Borough Councils Scrutiny Committee which is taking place on the 16th January 2020. After that they will be displayed at the station and used in discussions with disability groups. The views expressed in the consultation will provide additional supporting evidence of the need for improved access at the station.
The two final options for consideration are:
Option A – replace the existing ramp to Platform 1 with a new ramp from Manchester Road
Option C – Install a new footbridge with steps and lifts between Platforms 1 and 2
Similar footbridge and lift schemes were included when Buckshaw Parkway station was built on the line between Preston & Chorley and the additional platform at Kirkham & Wesham station was built on the Preston to Blackpool line – photographs of the two footbridges can be seen below:
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- Buckshaw Parkway station – Nodrog
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- Kirkham & Wesham station – Nodrog
