Plymouth Railway Station accessibility project

Plymouth Railway Station provides essential long-distance connections to the rest of the UK and Europe and often provides the first and last impression that people have of the city. Its importance to people for longer-distance travel is expected to increase with the closure of Plymouth Airport, making investing in its environment and improving its access and connections to the rest of the city necessary and worthwhile.

The Local Transport Plan recognises the value that an accessible and attractive station can offer the city by indicating the station as a high priority for investment. The railway station is a key destination on the Strategic Cycle Network and within the Plymouth Connect project - which is seeking to better link the west and the east of the city via the city centre. For more details on Plymouth Connect visit the Local Sustainable Transport Fund page.

The Council has been working in-partnership with the station's managers, First Great Western and its owner, Network Rail to support the recent works to the internal station layout by seeking to improve access for all users and provide better connections between the station and the adjacent walking, cycling, bus and vehicle networks.

The project will provide:

• New and improved footways
• Improved access for cyclists
• Safer crossings for pedestrians
• Changes to the road layout for safer vehicle access
• New lighting
• Cycle parking facilities
• New signing to include walking journey times
• More attractive external station environment for all users  

The first phase of the project was delivered in August last year with new fingerpost signing provided at North Road East and additional destinations attached to existing fingerpost installations in time for the start of the Americas Cup.

The significant works for the project are to be carried out in two phases:

• Phase 2- The area around the North Road East and the Station Access Road junction - February 2012 to March 2012
• Phase 3 -The Station Access Road through to the Saltash Road junction  - summer 2012