The Greater Manchester train station that's in a "shocking state" and in urgent need of improvements

Stockport railway station is in a “shocking state” and needs urgent attention to bring it up to standards, a councillor in the borough has claimed.

Councillor Matt Wynne, leader of the Edgeley Community Association, said Avanti – the company which manages the station – has allowed it to fall into disrepair with numerous issues blighting the site including broken doors and lifts, and damage to the walls. He claims the issues have been ongoing for months at the station, which is surrounded by new buildings built as part of the council’s plan to redevelop brownfield sites in the town centre.

Coun Wynne told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The railway station underpass has been in a state of increasing disrepair for a good number of years now. As you can see, it’s still covered in Virgin’s red corporate colours so it’s not had a look in for half a decade.

“They are saying that it’s due to water ingress and a package of funding is required which has more questions than answers. It’s taken two years for them to accept it is in a shocking state. We are talking about keeping water from frazzling the ticket machines at the Edgeley side which happens regularly. It’s all well and good lining up the shiny business case for a masterplan for the station but we need to get the station fit for this decade. It’s the entrance to our Borough and it is a disgrace.”

Among the issues are the station’s lifts, which the National Rail website currently states are “out of order between Platform 1&2 and The Subway”. Stockport station is on the west coast mainline route which connects the town to Manchester city centre as well as London Euston. Avanti has faced criticism in recent months for the quality of its services, with calls for an urgent review of the company’s operations after a series of delays and cancellations.

Stockport MP Navendu Mishra wrote on X on Wednesday that he has “raised the poor state of Stockport station on numerous occasions” and that one of the faulty doors at the main entrance “will not be replaced until after Christmas”.

One passenger named Nathan Grey told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The station is dirty on the platforms, I would say that it does need a lick of paint.”

Another passenger named Chelsea added: “This bit [the entrance area] does look very scruffy, it would be nicer if it looked more appealing”.

Adam, who uses the station to travel between Stockport and Handforth for work, said: “It’s a little station and it does the job. This area outside is nice but the station probably has to develop in line with how it looks around it.”

Avanti West Coast said it welcomes the feedback and will look to address the concerns.

A spokesperson said: “We welcome feedback from customers and stakeholders about their experience on our network, so we can address any concerns and provide them with the service they expect. We have made temporary adjustments to the doors at Stockport to keep them operational and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it’s causing our customers, colleagues, and the community. We’re working with Network Rail to replace the doors in the New Year, as well as focusing on the conditions of the station’s underpass.

“We’re always actively making improvements to our stations, including Stockport, which over the last 18 months, has benefitted from new seating, refreshed waiting rooms, repainted platform areas and subway, as well as better cleaning regimes. A Changing Places facility is planned to be installed soon. Thinking to the future, we’ve supported Stockport Council to develop a masterplan that will enhance the station and make it a fitting gateway to the town.”