JustBeingCP

Having step free access at railway stations for those with disabilities or mobility issues shouldn’t be seen as a lottery.

Those of you reading this right now will know that Ledbury railway station in Herefordshire had funding removed for accessibility improvements at the station by the Department for Transport earlier this year.

This was despite the funding being promised to the station so that much needed improvements could be made to the current infrastructure allowing all passengers to travel by rail from the station regardless of age, gender, race or disability.

Other Railway stations in the region like Wellington station in Shropshire have been earmarked for funding, meaning that they will be getting these much-needed improvements.

I have been left, wondering why so-called access for all funding is a postcode lottery and it feels like getting it depends on where you live in the country.

My message to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP and the Minister for Rail and HS2, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE is this, “I find it unacceptable that railway stations throughout the United Kingdom are put into a so-called lottery when being given funding for vital accessibility improvements”.

“Herefordshire being a rural county means that the disabled community need access to the rail network more than most“.

“Funding lotteries are unacceptable and shouldn’t be allowed to take place in any form of society let alone on the railways”

“ To say that I am angry about the decision to remove this funding from one of our rural railway stations is an understatement, and needs to be reversed as soon as possible”.

“ I don’t want to waste time during my day by being forced to travel up to Colwall station to change trains there just so that I can return to Ledbury on the side of the station which is accessible“.

Just stop with the railway station accessibility lottery today and not in the next 5 or 10 years.

If you enjoy reading my posts every week once they have been published then why not subscribe (if you haven’t already) and receive future ones direct to your inbox within just a few short minutes of publication.

Subscribe: https://just-being-cp.co.uk/

As always thank you from the bottom of my heart to the team at West Midlands Railway for all there support with improving the accessibility of the railway network they are responsible for on behalf of those with disabilities and mobility issues, It does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated.

A thank you must also go to each and everyone of you, my loyal readers and social media followers who continually take the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest posts, it does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated.

Cam