Platform closure impacts Lichfield Trent Valley station

THE high level platform at Lichfield Trent Valley station, platform 3, has been closed until further notice on safety grounds.

The single platform is on a bridge spanning the West Coast Main Line, where a recent inspection has revealed corrosion in metal support brackets which are above the 25kV overhead lines for the WCML. A further problem has been found in degradation of concrete panels which form the construction of the platform.

Platform 3 forms part of the passenger access route between platforms 1 and 2. There are lifts but that involves using the part of platform 3 affected by the structural issues.

As a result, Cross City Line trains are terminating at Lichfield City and a bus connection has been set up to transfer passengers. A bus is also being used to move passengers between platforms 1 and 2 and the car park, thereby avoiding a long walk.

Network Rail had planned to replace platform 3 in 2023, and now work is being reviewed to see if that task can be brought forward. In the interim, NR is working towards installing a temporary support structure to allow platform 3 and the inter-connecting access between platforms 1 and 2 to reopen.