SOUTHALL station is the latest to benefit from a renovation ahead of the opening of the Crossrail Elizabeth line in the first half of 2022.

The station opening again last Thursday (26 August) presenting the public with a new spacious building and three new lifts providing step-free access to all four platforms.

Southall station originally opened in 1839 and is currently served by TfL Rail and Great Western Railway services.

Network Rail has extended the platforms to accommodate the Elizabeth line trains, which are more than 200 metres long.

The station also has refreshed signage maintaining the bilingual information that was installed due to the large Punjabi community in the area - one of the few stations in England with bilingual signage.

Karamjit Singh, Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall (SGSS) representative, said: "We as a community are looking forward to using the new upgraded and modern station.

"It will benefit many who already live around the area and others in having accessibility to platforms, especially for our elderly.

"The heart of Southall is its people and we are pleased to see our Punjabi language as a signature focal point."

The Southall Opportunity Area, adopted in the area's Local Plan to deliver 9,000 homes and 3,000 jobs, has been accelerated by the Elizabeth line.

The area around the Elizabeth line station, Southall Gateway, will link the existing neighbourhoods and streets with the new residential-led developments at East Southall and West Southall as well as the regenerated Havelock Estate.

Connected Living London (CLL), a partnership between the developer, Grainger plc and Transport for London (TfL), has received approval from Ealing Council to deliver 460 homes on former railway sidings and storage land (which has been used as part of the Crossrail project), including 40 per cent affordable housing.

Acton Main Line, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and West Drayton stations recently reopened to the public after similar station improvements were completed.

Network Rail is finalising improvements at Hayes & Harlington station with a large ticket hall and new lifts due to open there later this year.

Once complete, all Elizabeth line stations from London Paddington to Heathrow and Reading will have lifts providing step-free access.