A west Cumbrian railway station will become the first in Britain to use a revolutionary new platform ramp.

On Monday (December 15) a glass reinforced plastic hump is being officially unveiled at Harrington station – a move aimed at making it easier for passengers to board trains as well as bringing an end to the time and expense of rebuilding low platforms.

The gap between platform and train at Harrington has meant passengers have had difficulty getting on and off, particularly if they have pushchairs or use a wheelchair, so the station is seen as ideal for trialling the hump.  

And if the trial - jointly funded by Cumbria County Council, Network Rail and the Department for Transport in conjunction with Northern Rail - is successful at Harrington it could be rolled out to other stations in Cumbria and across the country that have a low footfall.

With around 2,500 railway stations in the UK, many dating back to Victorian times when there was no standard design for trains or stations, there are numerous low platforms – particularly at rural stations. 

The variable height hump or ramp can be built off site in a factory, transported to the station in sections and fitted on site. Costing around £25,000 rather than the £250,000 it could take to rebuild even a basic platform, the hump has the potential to save millions of pounds in addition to helping people on and off the train.

Councillor Alan Clark, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for passenger transport, Mayor of Allerdale, Councillor Allan Caine, and David Hibbs from the Department for Transport will be among the guests at Monday’s opening. 

Councillor Clark said: “I’m very pleased west Cumbria has been chosen to pilot this scheme that could be introduced across the country.

“Low platforms can be a big problem for passengers, especially for the elderly and people with young children, so I think this could be a good solution to the problem.

“We’ll wait and see how the trial goes, but hopefully it will go a long way to bringing improvements for passengers at a fraction of the cost of rebuilding platforms and in future will be introduced at other stations. ”

Jerry Swift, head of corporate responsibility at Network Rail, added: “Previously it was almost impossible for people with lots of luggage or children in buggies to use the trains at Harrington.

“Other passengers had to use wooden steps to make getting in and out of the trains easier. Now we think we have found the solution.”

Stuart Rands, Northern Rail's acting area director north, said: “This is a great example of how a partnership approach can really deliver results.  Feedback from customers will be vital in deciding whether this could be a long-term solution at other stations in the UK.  

“The trial comes at an exciting time for the railway in Cumbria with the introduction of our new timetable, which means an improved spread of services for customers at Harrington and more journey opportunities for people to explore the Coast line."  

Ends

Media enquiries to media officer John Ballard on 01228 226330.

Notes

From conception to delivery the trial has cost £60,000. This includes the development of the idea, creating a prototype and dealing with the regulatory authorities such as the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the Office of Rail Regulation.

The trial at Harrington will last until summer 2009, after which feedback will be evaluated.