A dilapidated footbridge at a Wirral railway station is set to be replaced in 2027 after a campaign by local councillors and support from the local Member of Parliament.
Grove Road Station in Wallasey was used by 115,000 passengers last year, with many making use of the free ‘park and ride’ car park.
Passengers contacted Councillors Ian Lewis and Lesley Rennie, raising concerns about the condition of the footbridge over the tracks. This included broken windows, peeling paintwork and rotting wooden frames and panels.
Councillors met with Merseyrail and the Liverpool City Region’s transport managers in the summer. At that meeting, some immediate repairs were agreed.
However, as the station is owned by Network Rail, they would have to agree to pay for the cost of replacement of the bridge.
Due to the reluctance of Network Rail to commit to this work, Councillors sought the assistance of Dame Angela Eagle MP.
Now, following Dame Angela’s discussions with the company, the work has been agreed.
Councillor Ian Lewis said: “Network Rail has finally agreed that this footbridge needs major work, allocating £800,000 to be spent at Grove Road Station in 2027.
“In the meantime, I’d like to thank those residents who first contacted Councillor Rennie and I about this issue. Working with Merseyrail, the City Region and Dame Angela Eagle MP, we have secured this much needed and long overdue work for Grove Road Station.”
Councillors are now pressing for a date when lifts will be installed at nearby Wallasey Village Station, as part of the ‘access for all’ programme.
