Work has started to improve and upgrade Surbiton station in Surrey.

The £6.7 million upgrade will provide better passenger journeys thanks to the Department for Transport and Network Rail.

Work on building new staircases, a footbridge extension and ticket gates for platforms three and four has commenced.

The Network Rail upgrades are designed to improve passenger safety and journey times as passenger levels grow post-Covid and should be completed by the end of May 2022. Work on the £6.7m DfT-funded project will see the number of ticket gates increase from eight to 16.

Surbiton is the eighth busiest station on Network Rail’s Wessex route with nearly 9.5 million passengers passing through it during 2019-2020.

The work is designed to speed up exits from the station and stop passengers having to queue on a single set of stairs which can cause South Western Railway (SWR) trains towards Guildford, Hampton Court and Woking from leaving on time.

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Preparatory works have started, with main work due to begin later in the month. Engineers will begin by removing part of the station building on platforms three and four along with the southern staircase to the public footbridge.

Members of the public will have full access across the footbridge throughout these improvements and lifts will be open as usual.

Between Wednesday 27 October and Sunday 14 November, and on the weekends of January 22/23 and 29/30, members of the public will be redirected via the passenger side of the footbridge.

Mark Killick, Network Rail's Wessex route director, said: "Surbiton station is one of the busiest on our route and its modernist façade is a famous local landmark, however it has just one staircase to the footbridge from platforms three and four. Currently passengers have to use very narrow parts of the platforms to exit which can lead to congestion on the platforms and prevent trains from being dispatched on time.

"The improvements will respect the station’s rich heritage and will improve safety and keep trains running on time by making it easier to exit. I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out this essential work and we are working with colleagues at SWR to keep disruption to a minimum."