Thought it was time for a new thread specifically on improvements to Honor Oak Park Station.

Overground management have told us (Forest Hill Society) that the 'Phase 3' works to upgrade Honor Oak Park Station and address the landslip should start later this month and be finished in about 6 months - ie by around March next year.

A big gang of orange jackets and suits were on platform 2 this morning surveying the station. In a quick conversation before my train arrived, I established that the staircases were to be entirely replaced using only the existing ironwork. There will be extensive repairs to the footbridge. The platforms will have works to improve the surface.

When I suggested that repairs to the embankment behind Platform 1 should be finished by June (forgetting that we had been told March) it was suggested that it might take even longer. Apparently the digging work behind the station is a factor. But the landslip is a long term problem. The sheet steel piling was put there during the 1960s.

That's good news, I feared the station was going to remain in the state indefinitely. It's a real disgrace compared to the other stations on the Overground line.

Details of the planned refurbishemnt to the staircases can be seen on the Lewisham Planning website here.

Very good news!! Mind you when will this work be carried out - night time I hope! lets hope the get the ramps sorted for easier access for disabled and for pushchairs soon too.

I don't know when the staircase work will be carried out. The planning application gives no information about access to the platforms during the works - and at the moment, there is no alternative access to platform 1. I'll post any information when available.

I don't think there are any plans to provide ramps to the platforms. Honor Oak Park was scheduled for development under the 'Access for All' programme over the period 2012-2015. Some information here.. I think this would consist of lifts to the platforms similar to those at Forest Hill - no doubt requiring the 'new' staircases to be removed! Given the likely financial constraints in the next few years, perhaps we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for the lifts.

Coincidentally, I had an update today from London Overground to the email enquiry I sent a while back. Some details to add to what Andrew was told:

All sounds good apart from the 5/6-month duration, but based on the experience at FH, this appears to be how fast the train companies work.

Good news.

Will there be any chance of raising the level of platform 1 to meet the level of the train entry? as it's an absolute nightmare getting off with any shopping or luggage, and that's for someone reasonably fit and healthy I dread to think how scary it must be for the elderly, infirm or those with young children

Good idea 'ontheedge'. I have fired off an enquiry about whether this can be done to TfL. The platform is being widened, it will soon be extended and needs to be resurfaced. This is the ideal time to get it raised.

Great thanks often end up getting off at Forest Hill to avoid the jump

what about list access - surely it must be a legal requirement to provide disabled access?

How are you supposed to use the train if you are on your own with a push chair

opps sorry I meant LIFT access

I my view it shoudn't take more than 2 months to upgrade Honor Oak Station.

@ Southlonder - I coped just fine with a pushchair with a bit of sweat and elbow grease. It was a struggle, but at least I'm fit (or was then...)

More the problem is if you are seriously disabled or even in a wheelchair and you really are stuck.

There was, at one time, a plan to build a ramp, rather than a lift - what happened to that. Surely that would be cheaper and less likely to break down?

Update here:

http://www.hopandbeyond.com/2010/09/hono...pdate.html

What information do you use to build your estimates? You must be a great presales consultant ;-)

Hawkesrah, What information do you use to build your estimates? You must be a great presales consultant ;-)

Plucked straight from the ether I fear...

I agree with shzl400 on this one, though I have to say that having also coped with buggy in the past, it was clearly not so easy for others, including my wife.

Am now in a (hopefully temporary) situation where I am not very mobile myself so am getting a small insight on how it must be for the disabled. Those stairs are effectively confining me to home right now - a ramp would make it possible for me to get to work.

I can only imagine that any temporary access put in while the stairs are replaced would be of a ramp, or at least mostly inclined, nature? There is already something approaching this, though the gate is closed, on platform 2. It strikes me that there could be a missed opportunity here to make the station accessible using this temporary access as a starting point. Lifts would be nice but are not necessarily better.

At Twickenham station is a Stannah stairlift style contraption - it requires staff to be present to operate it but would be handy for people in such a situation. Maybe we could request that one of these be considered.