MP joins campaigner to fight for rail accessibility across Greater Manchester
Local rail accessibility campaigner Nathaniel Yates met with Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart yesterday at Woodley Station in Hazel Grove constituency, to highlight the limited access at the station and the need for Department for Transport (DFT) funding to improve the situation.
While one platform is accessible, the other can only be reached across a large iron footbridge, or via a steep, stepped ramp, making it extremely difficult or impossible for wheelchair users, people with limited mobility or those with children in a pushchair to use the station.
Nathaniel said: “I want DFT to make Woodley accessible and to make Moorside, Davenport and Woodsmoor. We need to get the money for step-free access at these stations because they're next on the list.”
The move to the Bee Network has seen more opportunities for stations to get step-free access, and the campaigners are set on ensuring this is rolled out to as many stations as possible, as quickly as possible.
MP Lisa Smart said: “I have been consistently impressed with Nathaniel's campaigning, and how he has highlighted this issue. He's campaigning for change because there are too many stations where too many people just can't access them.
“Woodley is one; Bredbury is another, where you can get to one platform but the other; Romiley, where the gradient to access the station just isn't practical for anybody with any sort of mobility issue.
“Nathaniel is absolutely right to highlight the need for change.”