Transport for Greater Manchester has pledged to deliver upgrades at 10 rail stations following an investment of 34 million GBP on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Upgrades look to include greatly increased accessibility provisions at almost two-thirds of the region’s rail stations by 2028, an increase of 43% overall.

The improvements would make nearly two-thirds of all Greater Manchester rail stations accessible by 2028 – up from 43% currently

The announcement, which comes alongside the declaration of an additional eight new local rail lines into the Bee Network within the same time frame, will see the operator begin development designs for step-free access at Davenport (Stockport), Hall i’th Wood (Bolton), Moorside (Swinton) and Woodsmoor (Stockport).

Once designs are completed, funding will be sought to finalise development and begin construction works.

​Currently, just under half of Greater Manchester’s stepped-access rail stations are accessible (43%). Transport for Greater Manchester has stated that following successful funding from the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and Department for Transport (DfT)’s Access for All scheme, upgrades will result in 63% of stations becoming fully accessible by the goal date of 2028.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

It’s really important that anyone can use the Bee Network, regardless of how, where or when they are travelling.

At the moment too many train stations in Greater Manchester are inaccessible, but we are moving at pace to tackle this alongside industry partners under phase two of the Bee Network – and our plans to improve rail services and stations across the city-region.

Disability or mobility issues should never be a barrier to travel, and in the next three years we will deliver step-free access at ten stations – twice as many as in the past decade – and I am pleased that Levenshulme will be amongst them.

Current works to improve accessibility across the region’s transit network include the installation of lifts at both Daisy Hill and Irlam, both of which are due to be completed this Spring, as well as step-free access schemes at Swinton, Hidnley, Bryn and Reddish North, all due for completion in 2026.

Accessibility improvements are also set to be completed at Flowery Field, Newton for Hyde and Bredbury in 2027, and Levenshulme in 2028.

In November 2024, the Bee Network Committee appointed Cllr Tracey Rawlins as the operator’s first Disability Advocate as part of a pledge to deliver an inclusive and accessible local transport network.

Cllr Tracey Rawlins, Disability Advocate on the Bee Network Committee, said:

I am delighted that this funding will deliver step-free access at Levenshulme and pave the way for accessibility improvements at a further four stations in Greater Manchester. There have been a lot of people involved in this project including local ward members who have tirelessly campaigned for greater access for everyone travelling on our rail network.

It is vital that people with disabilities can make seamless journeys across all modes and do not experience barriers to travel because the infrastructure is not there to support them.

Together with our government-funded Access for All programme and work by Network Rail and other partners, we are making real progress towards our ambition for every rail station in the city region to be step-free by 2030.

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