Adjustable lifts among disability improvements announced at 73 train stations

By Neil Lancefield4th April 2019News EnglandDisabilities, News England, Sensory Impairment

Disabled access will be improved at 73 railway stations in Britain, the Department for Transport has announced.

Measures such as lifts and adjustable ticket counters will be installed from £300 million of funding as part of the Government’s inclusive transport strategy.

The changes will also benefit passengers with health conditions or impairments, and those travelling with children, luggage or shopping.

Transport Accessibility Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “Transport is vital for connecting people with work, friends and family, but also to enable them to enjoy visiting some of the wonderful cultural, historical and natural sites across the UK.

“We want the 13.9 million disabled people in Britain to be empowered to travel independently, which is why I am delighted to announce this roll-out of upgrades across the rail network.

“Over the next five years these newly accessible stations will open up routes across the country, helping us move closer to a transport sector that is truly accessible.”

Stations were chosen using a criteria which included their usage, level of local disability and value for money of the work.

Among the stations selected were Abergavenny, Dumfries, Grays, Liverpool Central and Wandsworth Town.

Accessible routes have been introduced at more than 200 stations since the Access for All programme was launched in 2006.

A further 1,500 stations have received smaller upgrades such as accessible toilets, platform humps to reduce stepping distances and improvements to help those with a visual or hearing impairment.

Keith Richards, chairman of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, said: “The announcement is very welcome and must go hand-in-hand with clear and practical information to ensure that disabled people are aware of what improvements have been made, and that more travel options are now possible as a result.

“We are working with the Government to deliver a commitment to accelerate improvements, to target the funding effectively, and to monitor and assess outcomes.”