Nottingham Station footbridge closure put on hold following criticism

The footbridge access was previously closed in October 2024
By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
A rail company has made a U-turn on plans to close access to platforms from a footbridge at Nottingham Station after a new wave of criticism.
On Friday (January 31) East Midlands Railway (EMR) said it would again gate-off access to platforms from the footbridge from February 22, following a three-week pilot in October.
EMR said the test last year showed a significant increase in revenue by deterring fare-dodgers.
Customers accessing platforms one to six would have again needed to use the main entrance, but pedestrian access would be maintained between Station Street to Queen’s Road, due to it being a public right of way.
Nottingham MPs Lilian Greenwood (Lab) and Nadia Whittome (Lab) have been vocal in their criticism of EMR’s plans.
In a statement on Saturday (Feb 1) both said they had asked the rail company to “halt closure plans while transparent discussions with stakeholders take place”.
In a statement published just days later on Tuesday (February 4), EMR announced it had shelved its plans to give extra time to “engage further with the relevant stakeholders”.
A EMR spokesperson said: “The first short closure of the bridge laid bare the stark extent of ticketless travel taking place via the footbridge – estimated to be around £1.1 million a year.
“This money belongs to the taxpayer and is vital for the railway to operate successfully, improve, and secure investment.
“The last closure also highlighted significant safety and security benefits, including three direct interventions to support suicidal individuals.
“We recognise the importance of ensuring that our proposals effectively consider those impacted by this change.
“To support this, we will not be closing access to the footbridge on 22 February, and instead, will be taking additional time to engage further with the relevant stakeholders.”
Businesses and rail passengers had also criticised the plans.
Pete Russell, co-owner of Hopkinson in Station Street, told Notts TV: “I think the main issue in this situation is there doesn’t seem to be much compromise from EMR, there doesn’t seem be much consideration of the public, the council, the local businesses, it is just what they are going to do they are going to do.
“Their clientele is the public, so to go so blatantly out of their way to what the vast majority of people have been saying is a bit scary for a big company like that really.”
Steve Rodgers added: “There’s no reason to go over the top, if they just had proper train inspectors on the train it wouldn’t be a problem.”
EMR gave no dates for any new closures in the future. It previously said the trial closure directly led to three customers with suicidal intentions “being engaged with by colleagues at the ticket gate”.
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