As part of the Great North Rail Project, we are carrying out work to refurbish both of the passenger lifts at Macclesfield station to ensure that they remain safe and reliable for years to come.
We replace lifts to make sure passengers can travel safely on the rail network for years to come.
Each lift project is different, but the engineering required is often the same. To replace a lift, detailed analysis of the work is carried out first. How big is the lift, how many people can it carry? How is the lift moved? Once these factors have been decided, the team can get to work. The first step is to remove the existing lift. Then the team will carry out maintenance to the structure of the lift shaft and hydraulics system. A new lift is then installed into the lift shaft and the computer system is carefully reprogrammed before being opened to passengers.
When will the work take place?
The improvement began in early 2021 and means that both of Macclesfield station’s lifts will be out of use until Wednesday 31 March, reopening on Thursday 1 April 2021.
What this means for passengers
We recognise that the work will be disruptive for passengers who use the lifts at Macclesfield station and are working with our train operator colleagues to minimise the impact to people travelling to and from Macclesfield.
While the lifts are out of use, there will be no step-free access to platforms 2 and 3.
Journey information
For the ten weeks that the lifts are closed from 20 January to 30 March, we’re advising passengers to contact their train operator when booking travel to arrange their journey to suit individual needs and passenger assistance, if required.
During the lift upgrade work, tickets will be valid for passengers to travel via the nearest step-free stations.
On Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry Trains services:
- Customers travelling south (from Manchester/Stockport) to Macclesfield are advised to continue their journey to Stoke-on-Trent, change platforms and take a Northbound service to Macclesfield
- Customers travelling south from Macclesfield are advised to travel to Stockport, change platforms and take a Southbound service
For Northern stations and services:
The nearest accessible Northern station is Cheadle Hulme, which is 18 minutes away from Macclesfield by train.
The changes will mean longer journeys for passengers and we are therefore asking passengers to plan ahead, check before they travel and allow extra time when travelling.
Contact details for Passenger Assistance services for each of the operators:
- Avanti West Coast Assisted Travel – 08000 158 123
- Northern Trains Passenger Assistance – 0800 138 5560
- CrossCountry Trains Travel Assistance – 0800 030 9224
During the work, staff will be on hand at Macclesfield station to assist passengers.
Contact us
If you have any questions or require further information, get in touch with us by visiting our contact us page or by calling our 24-hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41.