Christmas Lift - Off planned on c2c as work starts on new lifts for Upminster

Customers using Upminster station are to get a surprise Christmas present in the form of bright modern lifts with touch-button automatic doors. These will replace the old-fashioned lifts with the heavy manually operated concertina doors. Work starts on Monday 20 August and will be completed by 7 December.

The new lifts will comply fully with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and will be accessible to all customers who will be able to operate the lifts themselves instead of relying on members of staff. This will provide a customer-friendly and much faster lift system.

In order to progress the work as quickly as possible the old lifts will be taken out of service and as a result from 20 August until 7 December inclusive there will be no step-free access for wheelchair-users or customers with buggies or heavy luggage at Upminster station. Special arrangements will be made for customers who rely on the lifts to access and exit the platforms.

Commenting on the start of work and the interim arrangements, c2c's Route Director, Kevin Frazer, said: Although we recognise that, without the lifts, we will all have some challenges to face, there is nothing that we cannot overcome, and we have here an ideal opportunity to provide Upminster station - one of the busiest on the route - with modern lifts that are easy for passengers to use.

It is in everyone's interests to complete the work as soon as possible and to do this we have to take the lifts out of service and we recognize that as a result there will be times when it simply will not be possible for some customers to join trains. Where customers are unable to access a train service a taxi will be provided to the most suitable station to allow the customer to continue their journey

As is always the case we will endeavour to help anyone needing assistance who arrives unannounced. It is in everyone's interests, however, in these circumstances, for anyone who cannot manage the stairs to reach or leave the platform, to let us know, in advance, of their journey plans so that we can make the best possible arrangements for them.

We will also have extra staff on hand to help people with luggage, buggies etc. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience while the work progresses and ask our customers to please bear with us. Once complete we are confident that we will have a set of lifts that are easy to use and fit for a station as important as Upminster.

For information regarding alternative travel arrangements, please contact the c2c cycle and mobility impaired helpline on 01702 357640 or a member of staff at your local Station.