Gravesend residents respond to temporary rail station closure

Author: Ashley Curtis - 29 April 2013

Gravesend rail station will be closing down for just over two weeks in order to allow a £19 million upgrade to the station to be carried out, reports thisislocallondon.co.uk.

According to Network Rail, the closure - which is set to take place between December 22 and January 6 2014 - is needed so workers can complete a number of upgrades to the station.

One Gravesend resident, Gavin Ashworth, believes that having a closure over Christmas is a good idea as many people "aren't working around that time of year" though it may have an effect on parking.

Improvements include creating room for longer 12-car trains to pass through and a new platform and footbridge with lifts to be built, adds newsshopper.co.uk.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's route managing director for Kent, believes the closure is necessary.

She said: "Gravesend station will be vastly improved and the reconstructed platforms will mean longer trains can be accommodated, providing more seats for passengers.

"It is a complicated project which requires the station to be closed for 15 days to carry out the work to the track and station. We recognise this will cause some disruption to passengers' and we have timed the work to take place over what is traditionally less busy time on the railway," she added.