GRAYS railway station will receive a share of £100million to improve its disabled access.

The money, from the Department of Transport, will go towards making the station and surrounding High Street more accessible.

It will contribute to plans already in motion to replace the level crossing at Grays, with an underpass as part of ambitious regeneration proposals.

Tony Fish, the Mayor of Thurrock, who lost the use of his legs in 1981 and has since been wheelchair-bound, welcomed the announcement.

He said: “This has got to be a good thing and I look forward to more details on what work is planned.”

He added that the station, which takes passengers over and under the railway lines, is ok to navigate in a wheelchair, but it could do with a bit more manpower.

He added: “I went to Paris on the Eurostar.

“I got from Grays to Paris ok, but coming back, from Fenchurch Street to Grays there was no staff so that made it more difficult.”

A spokesman for c2c said: “This is excellent news, and will represent an important contribution towards the plans to modernise the area around Grays station.

“We will continue to work with Network Rail and Thurrock Council to finalise proposals for removing the level crossing and better connecting the station with the High Street.”

Baroness Kramer, the Rail Minister, said: “These improvements will make a real difference to the lives of disabled passengers and those with limited mobility, allowing them to get to work and pursue leisure activities more easily. That’s good news for them and good news for the economy.”

Southend East and Manningtree are the other two stations Essex in which will receive a share of the funding.

Detailed planning work will now be undertaken to work out what improvements each station needs before it is announced how big a share each station will get.