JustBeingCP

The waiting spaces and signage at Witton Railway Station have a movement that is changing lives across the railways throughout the Midlands and beyond.

Those of you reading this will know by now that I’ve been working with the team at the now publicly funded rail operator West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern railway for the last couple of years on an accessibility project.

As a wheelchair user who wants to keep some independence I rely on the rail network to get around the country, especially the Midlands alone or with friends and family.

Having supported Aston Villa football club since 2010 and travelled by rail to matches at Villa Park for much of that time I became fed up of what I was experiencing at Witton Railway station after matches at Villa Park in Birmingham.

In February 2023 I decided to act and wrote to Aston Villa about my experience at the railway station, the club passed my letter onto the rail operator who after many months met with me at the station to discuss my experience as a wheelchair user using the rail network. 

It was at this meeting where I suggested that they (the operator) considered travelling waiting spaces and signage on the platforms at Railway stations they manage which are either unstaffed or have high volumes of passengers using the stations that need assistance to board or disembark trains.

They (the operator) liked the idea and began working out how to implement it at stations they are responsible for across the network.

January 2024, saw the installation of the waiting spaces and signage at Witton which was quickly followed by the same installation being completed at Aston railway station just a few minutes down the railway line.

Since then, a number of stations have seen the installation of the tools by the operator and those stations are: Coventry Arena,The Hawthorns, Lye, Kenilworth, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill , Selly Oak , Telford Central, Shenstone , Blake Street, Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks, Lichfield City, University, Gravelly Hill, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Tile Hill & Marston Green.

2026 has seen more railway stations have the accessibility tools installed on the platforms and those stations are: Longbridge, Redditch, Barnt Green (Platform 1 only), Five Ways (Platform 1 only), Canley (Platform 1 only), Lea Hall, Stechford, Stone (Platform 1 only), Berkhamsted (Platform’s 3 & 4 only), Hemel Hempsted (Platform’s 3 & 4 only), Droitwich Spa, Lichfield Trent Valley, Jewellery Quater (Platform 1 only) and Hartford.

My message to all rail passengers is this, please be mindful of where you stand on the platforms at stations which have the accessibility tools.

Those with mobility issues and disabilities will need access to the waiting spaces at all times whilst waiting for trains at the stations.

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It is only right that I take the opportunity to thank Aston Villa supporters who have been phenomenal when travelling by rail and ensuring that our (the disabled) can travel by rail with ease following matches at Villa Park, it does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated.

Thank you to each and everyone of you my regular loyal readers and social media followers who continually take the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest posts, it doesn’t go unnoticed and is of course very much appreciated.

Cam