New £5m bridge at Port Glasgow Rail Station is opened

Representatives from Network Rail, Transport Scotland, contractors STORY, Stuart McMillan MSP and local councillors attended the event at Port Glasgow Station.

It was also an emotional day for Sylvia MacLeod, wife of late councillor and disability campaigner Jim MacLeod, and the Hurrell family, whose late daughter Stephanie, also fought for improvements at the station.

Sylvia, 68, said: "Jim would have been chuffed to bits. He enjoyed going on the train, he campaigned for these improvements not only for himself but for all the other people with disabilities.

"Getting into the station and on and off the trains was so difficult, especially if you had an electric wheelchair.

"Jim's dad campaigned and then Jim followed when he was a teenager,  and then latterly with Stephanie too.

"He told her that another voice would help to show how difficult it was for disabled people."

The new footbridge allows passengers a safe route over the railway, with lifts providing step-free access to and from the platforms.

The lift on platform 2 elevates to a second floor, bringing passengers to and from the Highholm Avenue park and ride car park.

There is also now ramped access to the main station from Princes Street.

It’s all part of the Access for All (AfA) scheme which is funded by the Department for Transport and managed by Transport Scotland.

MSP Mr McMillan paid tribute to campaigners and to all the agencies who helped to make the project a reality.

Jeremy Spence, Route Delivery Director, Network Rail, said: “By making rail travel more accessible for more people, we can encourage more passengers to use public transport and hopefully more people in and around Port Glasgow to travel by train."

Mr Spence was joined by Damian Briody, head of rail projects with Transport Scotland, who held the ribbon across the new bridge and lift facility for Councillor Paul Cassidy to do the honours.

Councillor Cassidy, who is vice-chair of the Environment and Regeneration Committee, says the improvements will make a big difference to passengers. 

He said: "This has been an incredibly complex project involving many different partners but one that has been delivered in good time and with minimum disruption.

“Most importantly, it’s a project that is going to make a huge difference to the users of Port Glasgow Train Station by providing step-free access for everyone from wheelchair users, to passengers with luggage, and parents with prams, to commuters.

“We also have a new and much more welcoming front entrance that helps enhance the station – the busiest we have in Inverclyde, as well as Port Glasgow Town Centre in general.

“This would not be possible without the significant investment of Network Rail, supported by the council and our partners at Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).”

A plaque was unveiled by Mrs MacLeod and Stephanie's younger sister Jacqueline while her proud dad Andrew looked on.

Angela, 50, said: "This is a proud moment for us as a family. Stephanie used this station a lot to visit her friends in Glasgow and I think it is a lovely legacy for her, she has helped to make things better for other people.

"This new bridge and lift will make travelling so much easier for people with disabilities, parents with prams and even people coming home with cases.

"It's just a shame she is not here to see it."

Also present were members of Port Glasgow West Community Council who had also called for better access.

New CCTV cameras and a PA system have also been installed at the station.

The project was funded by Network Rail with a contribution from Inverclyde Council, via funding from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

Councillor David Wilson, who is also the chair of the operations committee on SPT, said: “SPT continues to invest in public transport infrastructure aimed at improving passenger safety and accessibility for all.

"This is an important project.

We need more of this across the whole of the public transport network and SPT will continue to champion that."