The UK’s Transport for London (TfL) has started a programme of improvement works at TfL rail stations in preparation for full Crossrail services in 2019.
Works are currently being carried out at Manor Park, Seven Kings and the York Road entrance to Ilford station.
The scope of work also includes refurbishment of the ticket halls at these stations, which is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.
TfL noted that the stations will remain open and operational for customers though work takes place, while at Ilford the York Road entrance will be closed from 22 February until later this year,and customers can continue to use the main entrance on Cranbrook Road.
“This is the start of the TfL station improvements programme that will transform stations along the Crossrail route.”
Work will be carried out behind hoardings or during engineering hours to minimise any impact on customers.
Network Rail and Crossrail will also continue to carry out work along the line ahead of Crossrail services opening.
As part of the upgrade, the stations will all benefit from external deep cleaning, refurbishment and repair of the station building, improved signage and lighting, as well as internal layout redesign to make it easier for customers to use the station.
Station refurbishment, including redecoration and new flooring, will be carried out and the work will also involve installation of new ticket machines, additional ticket gates at Seven Kings, new ticket gates and accessible customer toilet at Manor Park, while Ilford station will have a new ticket hall at York Road.
TfL Crossrail operations director Howard Smith said: “This is the start of the TfL station improvements programme that will transform stations along the Crossrail route.
“We hope that people will really take pride in these refreshed stations. Once the improvements are complete, customers using Manor Park and Seven Kings stations will enjoy modernised, cleaner and brighter stations, with improved facilities.
“Customers using the Ilford York Road entrance will also notice the changes. Although customers will largely be unaffected by these works and train services will not be impacted, we ask customers to bear with us while the stations are transformed and apologise for any disruption.”
Further TfL Rail station works will also start later this year to bring step free access to Manor Park, Seven Kings and Maryland.
Once operational, Crossrail will have more frequent journeys from Manor Park, Seven Kings and Ilford to central London with 12 trains per hour at peak times.
It is expected that journey time from Seven Kings to Tottenham Court Road will take around 24 minutes and just 19 minutes to Canary Wharf.
