Bescot Stadium Station Must Be Accessible

I received a response from the Minister to my letter to the Secretary of State for Transport (Rt Hon Mark Harper MP) raising the issue of access to Bescot Stadium Station and the Minister responded to say that the nomination period for the next round of stations to receive Access for All funding has now closed,  there is no existing centrally funded schemes available and to contact the Mayor of West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and West Midlands Trains (WMT).

I am disappointed by this response on behalf of people with disabilities and parents and have written to Mayor Andy Street CBE WMCA and Ian McConnell Managing Director of WMT.

Disabled access is vital for users of the station and the disabled fans of Walsall FC have raised this issue. In my view this is a breach of the guidance of the Equality Act 2010 provided to all station operators on the standards required to improve access to their services.

Other stations including Perry Barr were upgraded for the Commonwealth Games and there are plans to redevelop Witton Station. Bescot Stadium Station should be on that list. I am hoping some legacy money from the Commonwealth Games is available to ensure that the station can be used by everyone and is not a barrier for pepople to use public transport. 

Here is the Bescot Stadium Station suggested plan: