Platform access from footbridge to stop at weekends

Access to platforms from a footbridge at Nottingham railway station will be stopped at weekends in a bid to reduce crime and reduce fare dodging.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said passengers will not be able to use the bridge to enter platforms on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 February.

The rail company said new safety data, which showed a 45% drop in assaults and abuse on staff and customers, had reinforced an earlier decision to limit use of the bridge overnight.

Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at EMR, said the move would "improve safety both on our trains and at our stations".

In August, EMR restricted access to platforms via the footbridge from 19:00 to 06:00 each day in a bid to reduce crime as well as slips and falls.

Cresswell said data collected during the previous closure found that crime at the station fell, as did the number of trips, which dropped by 38%.

The new move will see access to platforms stopped from 19:00 on Fridays to 06:00 on Mondays.

"Our primary responsibility is to ensure Nottingham station remains a safe, accessible and welcoming place for all customers," Cresswell said.

"Restricting access at these times will improve safety both on our trains and at our stations. It will also protect against fare evasion – which is effectively taxpayers' money."

During the closures, the bridge will remain a public right of way between Station Street and Queen's Road.

EMR will also still be able to open the gates during major events, periods of crowding, or in response to emergencies.

The company said it had also improved signage and guidance for those accessing nearby taxi ranks and services.

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