Labour's Andy Burnham enjoys a tour of Hindley station after securing improvement works
Labour’s Makerfield by-election candidate Andy Burnham visited Hindley railway station to see the work being done to make it more accessible for passengers.
As mayor of Greater Manchester, he has worked through Transport for Greater Manchester to secure upgrades at Hindley, including two new passenger lifts and a new footbridge, with construction due to get under way soon.
The improvements are part of a wider programme to upgrade 10 stations across Greater Manchester over the next three years, twice as many as in the past decade.
The programme would make nearly two-thirds of all Greater Manchester rail stations accessible by 2028, up from 43 per cent currently.
At Hindley, the new lifts and footbridge will help make the station easier to use for disabled passengers, older people, parents with prams and anyone with mobility needs.
During the visit, Mr Burnham met the Friends of Hindley Station, who gave him a guided tour of the station and discussed why better access matters to passengers.
Mr Burnham said: “It’s great to be back at Hindley station. When I was the local MP, people here were already campaigning to make it fully accessible. The Friends of Hindley Station have done a fantastic job improving the station, but we all knew there was more to do.
“This is what delivery looks like. As mayor, I have secured the investment for two new lifts and a new footbridge, and work is now getting under way to make the station accessible to everyone.
“For too long, people in the North have had to put up with second-class transport that would never be tolerated in London. We are changing that. Across Greater Manchester, we are upgrading 10 stations over the next three years, twice as many as in the past decade.
“If I am elected as Makerfield’s voice in Parliament, I will bring the same focus on delivery that I have shown as mayor and fight to make sure communities like Hindley, Bryn, Ashton, Abram and Platt Bridge get their fair share.”
Tom Robson, local resident and members of the Friends of Hindley Station, said: “I have lived locally since 1970 and I am five minutes’ walk from Hindley station, so I know how important this station is to the community.
“I am really pleased to see Andy Burnham here today and to see him recognising the work that has gone into improving this station.
You can see the signs of what he has delivered through the train network, the bus network and his work as mayor.
“I think Andy will do a lot for the local community and for the country. I would love to see him win this election.”
The Makerfield by-election candidates are: Jake Austin (Liberal Democrats), Count Binface (Count Binface Party), Andy Burnham (Labour and Co-operative Party), Dan Clarke (Libertarian Party), John Dyer (independent), Ed Gemmell (Climate Party), Paul Gould (independent), Howling Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party), Rob Kenyon (Reform UK), Robert Pownall (independent), Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain), Sarah Wakefield (Green Party), Peter Ward (Rejoin EU Bring in PR) and Michael Winstanley (Conservative).