THURROCK MP Jen Craft has demanded urgent action to address the delayed opening of lifts at Grays station.

Jen Craft, Member of Parliament for Thurrock, has today (Wednesday, 13 August) written an open letter to Network Rail, criticising the organisation's repeated failures to meet project deadlines.

The two new lifts, which form part of long-awaited accessibility improvements at Grays station, were initially expected to be complete by late 2024.

Mrs Craft wrote to Network Rail about the delays in May, meeting with senior staff shortly afterwards. Despite reassurances that works would be complete by the end of July, the lifts remain shut – with no clear opening date confirmed.

Grays station is currently the fourth most-used station in the East of England, with high demand for step-free access. The lifts – one on each platform – connect to the pedestrian subway.

Mrs Craft's most recent letter calls for urgent action to address delays, with a clearly defined timeline for when residents can expect the lifts to be operational.

The MP said: "Grays is my local station, so I know how important these lifts will be for passengers, particularly those with mobility issues or young kids in pushchairs.

"The continual delays have got to stop, Grays residents have been waiting far too long for basic accessibility improvements.

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"Network Rail must commit to making these lifts a top priority, ending the constant hold-ups."