News Release

9th October 2003

ANGER AT RAIL SNUB TO THE DISABLED

Following the news that a shortage of funds at the Strategic Rail Authority has resulted in the plan to upgrade 65 midlands railway stations being slashed to a mere three (they are: Erdington, Four Oaks, and Lichfield City), Michael Fabricant wrote to the Chairman of the SRA asking why Lichfield Trent Valley had been taken off the list as disabled people and the elderly with heavy luggage find it impossible to catch West Coast Mainline trains to London and the south. They have to climb and descend a steep footbridge to reach the south-bound platform. No lifts are available. Michael Fabricant asked specifically how the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act would be met.

Michael has now received a reply from Neale Clark of the Strategic Rail Authority. In his letter, Mr Clarke confirms "The scope of the Modern Facilities At Stations programmes had to be reduced due to the SRA's budget constraints" Mr Neale then added that only 3 out of the original 65 stations will be upgraded. But with regard to disabled people, Mr Neale now says "Many stations and facilities date from a period when standards were much lower than today....... Availability of funds will determine the overall speed of enhancement....... The implementation of such schemes will be subject to availability of funding and is likely to take place over an extended period of years. Priorities will have to be established and these have yet to be determined. It is not possible to predict at this stage how Lichfield Trent Valley will figure".

Michael Fabricant now says: "This is one of the most complacent and arrogant replies I have ever received from any Government agency. If Stephen Byers hadn't nationalised Railtrack and had been forced to pay off billions of pounds to Railtrack's shareholders in compensation, Lichfield Trent Valley would be upgraded and the needs of disabled people will have been met. This reply and its open ended failure to commit to any priority is a slap in the face to disabled people. What does Mr Neale mean by 'an extended period of years'? How long must the disabled wait?

"I shall now take this up with the Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling. I will tell him that Lichfield Trent Valley is the only railway station in the area on the West Coast Mainline and the only practical solution for disabled people wishing to travel south by train is to go via Birmingham New Street involving a change in trains and at least an extra hour to the journey time. This is wholly unacceptable. I hope that the Government will have a sense of decency and will intervene to ensure that Lichfield Trent Valley is upgraded as was originally promised by Railtrack. It is incredible that in 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority can have such a cavalier attitude towards its obligations to disabled and elderly passengers.", Michael adds.