Mayor’s plan for step-free access at all rail stations
ANDY Burnham wants every railway station in Greater Manchester to be made fully accessible by 2025 if given a second term as mayor.
The Labour mayoral candidate says he would press Network Rail to hand over control of stations that fall short of standards set out in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
If rail bosses were ‘unwilling’ to agree to further devolution of powers Mr Burnham would explore other options – including legal action – if re-elected.
Currently 40 per cent of Greater Manchester’s stations – 38 out of 93 – have ‘step-free access,’ making them DDA compliant. This is lower than South Yorkshire (93 per cent), the North West region as a whole (63pc) and the national average (61pc).
Mr Burnham said: “If we had a situation where under the Equality Act other people with protected characteristics were told they couldn’t access one of our stations, it would rightly be a matter of public outrage. But this needs to be a matter of public outrage, we are not prepared to put up with things as they are. I want to be a clear voice for disabled people in Greater Manchester who have for way too long had to put up with a completely unacceptable state of affairs.” Network Rail says it is ‘fully committed’ to making the rail network in the North West ‘as accessible for passengers as possible.’ Through the Department of Transport’s (DfT) Access For All programme, the state-owned body has provided step-free routes at 200 stations since 2006. The scheme has also paved the way for step-free access at Greater Manchester stations such as Walkden, Daisy Hill and Irlam, as well as a £5m lift and ramp at Mills Hill.
In February the combined authority also agreed to set aside £3.3m to progress future Access for All projects, including accessibility improvements at Swinton station. But Mr Burnham has concerns about the speed at which the DfT funding is being handed out, saying: “If we carry on at that pace it will be the 2070s before the entire rail network, including Greater Manchester, is accessible to our citizens.”
Mr Burnham said attempts had been made to encourage the government into devolving more stations in Greater Manchester to local decision makers.
This would give the city-region a better chance of securing upgrades which could lead to new development around non-compliant stations.
A survey commissioned in 2020 by health charity Leonard Cheshire also suggested that providing step-free access could increase passenger numbers at a station by 20pc.
“At the moment these stations are just sitting there like liabilities, that’s what Network rail seems to view them as,” said Mr Burnham. “If we had control of them we could unlock funding for greater commercial use, community use or indeed greater regeneration around new homes linked to public transport.” A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “We’re fully committed to working with the wider rail industry and Transport for Greater Manchester to make the railway in the North West as accessible for passengers as possible.
“Network Rail is funded to operate, renew and maintain the railway. Accessibility enhancements come from a separate DfT fund. Every five years, the DfT invites local authority transport bodies to nominate stations for this Access for All funding.
“Network Rail then works with all stakeholders to deliver chosen schemes as we continue to improve the railway for all passengers.”