DISABLED rail passengers will not be able to access certain services at Basingstoke railway station for months because of work to renew lifts.

Anyone travelling to and from Basingstoke will have to face extra disruption for the next nine months as workmen renew the lifts at the station.

Staff wearing pink tops will help passengers on the stairs at the station for the next nine months but a spokesman for South West Trains admitted that no specific measures are in place for those in wheelchairs.

But they said that they would be able to do everything they could for wheelchair users to “get to where they need to be”.

They urged anyone who is unable to use steps to contact them in advance of their travel.

Work on the lifts on platforms four and five will continue for the next two-and-a-half months.

Access to these platforms is via the stairs, or the station entrance on platform four which will be open between 6am and 10am, and from 3pm until end of service Mondays to Fridays.

It will mean that during those hours wheelchair users will have to go out around the back of the station to gain access to the other platforms.

Work to renew the lift on platform one will begin on Monday, April 13 and will continue for three months.

From July 7 for about three months, staff will be replacing the lift on platforms two and three, with access via the stairs only.

A spokesman for South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance said: “We are currently renewing the passenger lifts at Basingstoke station as part of our works to improve the network for passengers.

“Unfortunately, there is no way of replacing lifts without taking them out of service and we are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause.

“We have scheduled the works in order to minimise disruption as much as possible, including extending the opening hours for the station entrance on Platform 4.

“Extra staff will be available at Basingstoke station to help passengers throughout the works.”

To book assistance before travelling, passengers can contact the South West Trains assisted travel team on 0800 52 82 100, or via southwesttrains.co.uk.