MP urges Government to take steps to improve Whitchurch railway station access for disabled people
An MP is pushing the Government to sign off on plans for lifts at a railway station so disabled people can use a platform that is currently inaccessible without steps.
Helen Morgan has been pushing for step-free access at Whitchurch Station since her by-election win in 2021 and says new lifts are set to be designed and nominated to be a 'high priority' between April 2024 and March 2029.
However Mrs Morgan says the lifts can only be installed if the Department for Transport approves Whitchurch’s nomination under the Access for All scheme. She said the Government is still yet to give the green light to the scheme.
Mrs Morgan has now written to Transport Minister Huw Merriman, stressing the importance of the project and asking that the Minister grants the necessary funding "as soon as possible".
Passengers with disabilities or mobility issues are currently blocked from boarding trains heading towards Shrewsbury at Whitchurch because Platform 1 can only be accessed via 44 steps and a footbridge.
Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, said: “Whitchurch Station needs lifts installing so that everyone can catch a train regardless of their mobility. Designs have finally been drawn up and now it’s down to the Government to give the green light and get work moving.
“If the minister does the right thing we could see work taking place within months. With so many passengers in the Whitchurch area excluded from using the station, this simply has to be a top priority.
“The decision is already overdue so I’ve once again written to the Transport Minister making it clear why this project must be made a priority.”
