Stations: Step-free Access
Debate between Claire Young and Paul KohlerWestminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Mr Kohler
Like other hon. Members, the hon. Gentleman makes the point that this is an issue across the country. It absolutely needs to be addressed if we want to make our transport system fit for all residents.
If a development is already taking place, surely that is the ideal time to ensure that the station is step-free, instead of causing disturbance at a future date. Wimbledon Chase, in my constituency, is about to undergo a major redevelopment, but step-free access is not being provided. That makes no sense. I understand that the previous Government conducted a consultation on potential changes to the regulations, so do the Government plan to move forward on this issue?
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Bristol Parkway is well used by people from my constituency, but those with mobility issues have faced lifts being out of action for weeks on end. Does my hon. Friend agree that not only do we need step-free access at stations, but it is vital that that access is reliable and properly maintained? That should be a subject for regulation, too.
Mr Kohler
My hon. Friend makes a good point; I got to the point in my speech entitled “Lifts out of action”, so I will start that now—how prescient of her.
The issue is not only the lack of step-free access. Even where there is provision, it is often unreliable. It is clearly unacceptable that those who rely on step-free access to plan their journeys—based on the limited number of stations available—discover only on arrival that the lift is out of action. The Office of Road and Rail found that there were more than 5,000 lift faults on the network from April to October last year—an increase of 9% on the same period the previous year. Furthermore, there has been a deeply concerning increase in the number of entrapments. The number of entrapments went up by more than a fifth in the last six months, with almost 400 entrapment events from April to October 2024 and an increase of 42% on the number of entrapments of more than 75 minutes.
The situation on the London underground last year was even more appalling. Only 92 out of 272 London underground stations are step-free, but those are often out of action, not just from faults, but due to a lack of staffing. A recent Lib Dem freedom of information request showed that there were 1,254 incidents last year, totalling 6,197 hours when the lifts were working perfectly well but train staff members were not there, meaning that those who rely on them cannot use the station.
Local Post Offices
Debate between Claire Young and Paul Kohler(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) on securing the debate. Having asked for a post office debate at business questions only two weeks ago, I was delighted when he secured this one.
In rural areas, such as my Thornbury and Yate constituency, post offices provide vital services that enable people to live their life. Since 2015, over 6,000 bank branches have closed across the country, making it harder for people to access their cash and use banking services. Many have been reassured that they can still access those core services through their post office, but now even that is at risk.
I agree with the hon. Member for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard (Alex Mayer) on the importance of post offices to e-commerce. When I made my recent visit to my local sorting office, I was told that the Royal Mail is now a parcel delivery service with a sideline in delivering mail. Obviously, post offices play an important role in e-commerce and, in doing so, support local businesses.
The recent news that the Post Office was looking to close 115 Crown post offices was a huge blow; one of those post offices is in Yate. Residents tell me that it feels like a done deal, not a proposal open for discussion. When I met the area manager, although she said that no decisions had been made, there seemed to be a strong leaning towards moving all post offices to the franchising model, with all the risks that hon. Members have already mentioned.
Mr Paul Kohler (Wimbledon) (LD)
Raynes Park has an important high street in my constituency. There are no banks in Raynes Park, so our solitary post office is a vital lifeline, allowing residents and businesses alike to access banking, bill payments and traditional postal services. However, it is one of 115 Crown branches at risk, and my constituents are very concerned about the uncertainty. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government should be giving assurances now, to provide communities with peace of mind, particularly the old and digitally excluded?
Claire Young
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, having seen the anxiety that the threat of closure is provoking in my constituents.
Yate post office is very busy; there are often significant queues of people waiting to access services. It is rather unusual, because it shares its space with the local sorting office, which operates from the second floor of the building. The quality of service would be negatively impacted if it were squeezed into another existing business. Yate and Chipping Sodbury have also lost several banks on the high street, with many people being told, as I said earlier, that they could rely on the post office instead. Now, even that is at risk, with Yate listed by the Post Office as one branch it is seeking to close. Residents are rightly angry about that, with more than a thousand signing my petition to keep the post office open.
Sadly, it is not just the Crown post offices that are threatened with closure. We recently had confirmation that the post office in Cromhall is set to close, due to the closure of the village shop in which it is based. That means that the neighbouring outreach branch in Tytherington, which is overseen by the same sub-postmaster, is also at risk. The sub-postmaster told me how the post office at Tytherington is busier than the one in Cromhall, fuelled by the fact that nearly all the banks in nearby Thornbury have closed. Indeed, Lloyds has added itself to the list today. Tytherington post office also has strong support from customers using Royal Mail services for businesses, as it has a sizeable free car park, making it convenient for them to bring their parcels, letters and banking to the post office counter. Despite that, the Post Office refuses to allow the Tytherington branch to become a stand-alone site, and that is causing huge concern for residents.
The Tytherington branch is well supported and is an essential service for residents, many of whom do not have private cars. There is no public transport in the village, meaning that the loss of the post office would leave some people utterly cut off. The post office is based in the thriving community shop, which is run by volunteers and also provides a vital service to the local community. In the wake of the news, a grassroots petition supporting the post office in Tytherington has gained more than 800 signatures in just over a week. However, the Post Office said to me that it would not review its decision because,
“In the area there is a Main Post Office at Thornbury and a Local branch at Alveston—both are within 3 miles of Tytherington.”
That is completely tone deaf and ignores the lack of public transport. What are those without cars meant to do?
The Post Office has said it is keen to explore a new outreach service and the possibility of a new branch, but all that will take time, especially as it is contingent upon finding a new sub-postmaster to do it. It even admits that it is likely the branch will close before an alternative can be found. That means that in just a few weeks’ time, no immediate service will be available in the village. I will do all I can to make sure we secure a post office service at Tytherington and in Yate.
In closing, I ask the Minister: does he agree that relying solely on the franchising model of post offices carries risk and that there are benefits to preserving the stand-alone offices? Will he also commit to supporting community outreach post offices based in thriving community shops?