Railway bosses say underpass could be shut from early spring to summer

The pedestrian underpass at Gloucester station will not be closed for nine months from January, but it could be shut from early spring to summer, according to railway bosses.

Great Western Railway (GWR) is planning to close the subway next year while work is underway to make it step free.

They will also be installing improved lighting and a widened northern entrance to remove the current blind corner.

Gloucester City Councillors were led to believe that the underpass would be closed while work to both the subway and station forecourt is underway. This is due to start in January and run until September 2023.

However, GWR says the underpass will not be closed during the entire duration of the works. It will potentially close in early spring and not reopen until some time in the summer, they say.

Gloucester City Councillor Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton), raised concerns at a recent council meeting that pedestrians who do not have a train ticket will not be allowed to use the station’s footbridge to get across and will instead have to take a diversion.

Responding to the latest update, he said it is welcome news that the underpass is unlikely to be closed for the whole nine months of the station project.

“However, the engineering work to remove the steps is difficult and the upgrading of the underpass under operational railway lines is fraught with possible delays.

“It would be sensible and a good public gesture to allow the public access to the railway station bridge during this time. It is a major pedestrian route between the bus station and the city centre to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.”

A spokesperson for GWR said the underpass will not be closed for a nine-month period as the subway will not need to be closed for the duration of the work.

“An assumption has been made that the subway will need to be closed for the duration of this phase of the project which includes significant works to the station forecourt, and improving bus and pedestrian access to the station – with this part of the work due to commence at the beginning of next year,” they said.

“The subway work is one part of this wider project: installing improved lighting; CCTV; a widened entrance; the removal of the current blind corner, and making it step free and accessible to all (presently it is not, and disabled customers must travel round).

“To make these improvements the subway will need to close for as short a time as possible – potentially closing in the early spring and reopening in the summer.

“A safe, well lit, alternative walking route, which will add about six minutes to a journey has been devised and we are working with our partners to deliver appropriate signage advertising this for the appropriate time.”

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk