THE saga over the installation of lifts at Warrington Central Station looks set to end soon.

Campaigners have been asking for years for lifts to be fitted at the station that would make the platforms accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Now, Network Rail have announced that they have come to an agreement with Trans Pennine Express, the owners of the station, to let them carry out the work to fit the lifts.

A spokesman for the company said: "It is a long standing aspiration for us to improve the facilities at the station.

"We have been sourcing funding and it is moving in the right direction. It is certainly something that needs to be done."

In January last year, a study was carried out to see whether lifts could be installed to the overcrowded station and, in April, it was announced that the lift plans could go ahead.

But the work has been awaiting health and safety clearance.

Euro MP Brian Simpson, who has been campaigning for the changes for a number of years, said: "It is moving forward but it is so frustrating the amount of time it has taken to get a lift put in to Warrington Central Station.

"You would not believe the hoops we have had to go through to get this.

"At long last it looks like something is going to happen. I apologise to the rail users of Warrington with reduced mobility that we have still not got them a lift to the station."

Trans Pennine Express has not set a date for the installation but they hope the lifts will be fitted in the near future.

vicki.stockman@guardiangrp.co.uk