St Neots £6million bridge lifts switched off at night

The £6million footbridge at St Neots Railway Station might be officially open but the lifts which are a vital service for those with mobility problems are switched off overnight.

The lifts work only between 6am and 8pm, meaning that any passengers that catch late trains or head out of the town after this time are not able to use them.

The footbridge was officially opened by representatives from Cambridgeshire County Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, First Capital Connect and Network Rail on February 19, although the bridge has been accessible since February 7. The lift times are in line with those at Huntingdon station where they are also switched off at 8pm.

A spokesman for First Capital Connect said: “The lifts are only in operation when staff are present at the station for safety reasons.

“However, we are taking positive steps towards 24 hours a day operation in the near future.”

Commuters have also complained that the cost of parking at St Neots station costs more than at Huntingdon station, which has often been cited as the source of the parking chaos in the Longsands Road area of the town. Parking currently costs £5.60 per day at Huntingdon and £7.70 at St Neots.

He added: “Huntingdon and St Neots car parks are priced competitively for their respective areas.

“Our car parks at Bedford and Harlington both share the same market conditions with St Neots and are priced similarly.

“However, we do listen to our customers and in recognition of people’s concerns, we froze tariffs at St Neots this year – a real-terms price cut.”