Witton Lane station is situated a 5 to 10 minute walk or wheel away from Villa Park and is ready to welcome the supporters of England and Andorra to the stadium for our latest World Cup qualifier.
West Midlands Trains (WMT) installed accessible waiting spaces and other types of signage at the station in January 2024.
As you, my loyal readers and social media followers will know by now I first met with officials from the operator at Witton in November 2023 after months of trying to engage with them.
I saw this as an opportunity to share the experiences that I and others faced when using the station to get home after matches or events at Villa Park.
I started campaigning for better access at railway stations in the region on behalf of the disabled football supporters and local residents who use the rail network on a regular basis to travel around the Midlands and beyond.
Enough was enough, we the disabled community were sick to the back teeth of encountering issues every time that we travelled on the railways in the region, we deserved an acceptable level of service just like our able-bodied counterparts.
Having wrote to Aston Villa about the issue of accessibility at the station for those who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters and other walking aids, they passed my letter onto the team at West Midlands Trains (WMT).
It was at this point when the idea of having two different types of signage around accessibility was created and they are:
A fence sign that is mounted on a wooden platform fence in the form of a square that is blue and white and has a white wheelchair logo and the words “for mobility assistance, please wait here” under the wheelchair logo.
A wall sign that is mounted on a brick station shelter in the form of a square which is blue and white and has a white wheelchair logo with the words “for mobility assistance, please wait here” also under the wheelchair logo.
When supporters arrive back at Witton after the match later which kicks off at 17:00 they should head to the dedicated waiting spaces that can be found on either platform, I would also recommend making yourself known to the event station staff once you have arrived at Witton before the match, this is so they know you will be travelling post match.
My message to other supporters using the station to get home this evening is a simple one and is this, please be mindful of where you stand on the platforms as those requiring assistance to board services may need access to the waiting spaces at all times.
Do you travel by rail on a regular basis and require assistance to board or disembark services, your assisted travel can be booked up to 2 hours before departure in 1 of 3 ways.
By Phone: 0800 024 8998 or by using Next Generation Text – 18001 0800 024 8998.
Online: https://booking.passengerassistance.com.
By using the App: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/passenger-assistance/id1542190496.
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I wish all those attending the match later a safe, successful and enjoyable evening and thank them for taking the time to read this reminder about the accessibility provision that is on offer for supporters at Witton who use the rail network when travelling to and from matches or events at the home of Aston Villa.
It is only right that I once again thank the incredible at West Midlands Trains (WMT) for going above and of course beyond during the last year or so as the project has gone from strength to strength, your dedication and hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed and is of course very much appreciated.
A thank you must also go to you, my regular loyal readers and social media followers who continually take the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest post, it doesn’t go unnoticed and is of course very much appreciated.
Cam
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