Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Thangam Debbonaire and Nusrat Ghani

Thursday 30th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

6. What steps he is taking to ensure that railway stations are fully accessible.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

As part of our inclusive transport strategy, we have put together a £300 million fund to improve access at our railway stations.

[Thangam Debbonaire]

I thank the Minister for that answer. She and I have met before and she has been incredibly helpful, but I am getting frustrated now. I know she will not be surprised to hear that I am referring to Lawrence Hill station in my constituency, which has been waiting such a long time; I know there are funds and application processes, but is it not time the Government admitted that all stations, which people need to use, should be accessible and just got on with making them all accessible?

[Ms Ghani]

The hon. Lady will know that most of our railway stations were built in an era when no thought was given to accessibility, let alone to parents and people with wheelchairs. That is why we have a £300 million fund, which is supporting over 73 stations, and another tier of £20 million for smaller upgrades. I know that there are two stations in her constituency in the review, and she will not have to be patient for much longer.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Thangam Debbonaire and Nusrat Ghani

Thursday 24th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

Disabled passengers in the Lawrence Hill area of my constituency are not being served with step-free access, although they have been promised it for some years. They have to get a train upline and then another downline on the other side before they can get to Temple Meads to get a mainline train. Will the Minister meet me and Councillor Margaret Hickman to discuss this urgently?

[Ms Ghani]

Of course I am happy to meet the hon. Lady to talk about accessibility in her constituency. As I mentioned earlier, Access for All funding is available for train stations; if she were alluding to a tube station, that would be another situation altogether. As she is talking about a train station, I am more than happy to meet her.