12.09.12
Concerns over lack of step-free access at Alexandra Palace - UPDATED
UPDATED, Friday September 14, 10am.
Passenger watchdog London TravelWatch is demanding an explanation for the lack of disability access to Alexandra Palace in the station’s current upgrade programme.
The organisation is seeking an explanation from both the Minister of State for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation as to why disabled access is not being provided at Alexandra Palace station.
The station is currently undergoing major enhancement works, and fails to provide step free access in the midst of its platform extensions, freight line conversions and crossover additions.
London TravelWatch, which represents the interests of transport users in and around London, highlights its dismay in the bypassing of vital disabled access and asks the Department for Transport to reconsider its decision. Although the project does not prevent step-free access being provided in the future, the watchdog wants it to be included in the current upgrade.
Chair of London TravelWatch, Sharon Grant said:“This case raises a number of issues of principle that have wider significance for the whole rail network as in general. Where major projects have been undertaken elsewhere and previously, it has been the practice to incorporate step free access to and from the stations affected.”
Grant continued to explain that step-free access should be included following the success of the Paralympic Games, which allowed London to showcase its accessible transport services. She stated: “Unless access is built in major works like this, we will never make the transport system accessible to all. We also hope that the DfT will ensure that in future Network Rail and train operators consult with us and local stakeholders on issues such as these which affect passengers in and around London.”
UPDATE:
In response to London TravelWatch's concerns, transport minister Norman Baker said: “We know that the quality and accessibility of stations is an important issue for passengers, this is why our £370m Access for All programme is delivering step free access at over 150 stations and other access improvements at over 1,000 stations. We have also recently announced a further £100m to extend the programme from 2015 to 2019.
“The Network Rail project at Alexandra Palace complies with current accessibility requirements as set out in the Department's established code of practice.”
(Image of Alexandra Palace station courtesy mattbuck4950 used here under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike licence. )
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