Station stairs action
Steep flights of stairs in Sileby
A GROUP of young people have been campaigning for better access for the disabled at Sileby railway station, highlighting the plight of a wheelchair user Nikki Brotherton.
The youngsters started their Access Sileby campaign while taking part in the National Citizen Service (NCS).
The NCS is a government initiative that provides young people aged 15-17 the chance to take on new challenges and develop vital skills that will support them later in life.
The group has been based at the Leonard Cheshire Disability centre, King Street, Sileby, over the summer holidays
And it was there that the 15-strong group heard about the problems Leonard Cheshire resident Nikki was having trying to get a train in the village.
The railway station has no lift facility and the only access to the platform is via a set of high steep steps.
It was then that they decided to launch their campaign.
Group member Eve Willett told the Echo: “Access and inclusion are indispensable values for the foundations of any community, let alone a society of interdependent support as evolved as we enjoy in Loughborough and our local area.
“That is what we truly believe at ‘Access Sileby’, a group of local young people undertaking our National Citizenship Service (NCS) this summer.
“As part of our social action project we have been campaigning a prevalent issue in our community- the stark lack of access at Sileby train station, where the only points of access are steep flights of stairs.
“This design excludes members of our community who have restricted mobility or people who use wheelchairs, motor chairs or even pushchairs.
“We are aware of how deeply this seemingly subtle issue has been felt, and we need to make the change to re-invite every member of our society into the experiences train travel can gift them-the chance to move freely in our locality.
“As a result of the lack of accessibility, Nikki is unable to utilise her local station and the opportunities train travel would present to her.
“Such experiences include indulging her love of ‘retail therapy’- she wants to “shop ‘till she drops’.
“What’s more, the restriction, she went on to say, prevents her from volunteering at a hospital as she deeply enjoyed doing in the past.
“And, perhaps most saddening, her lack of access to the station has meant she cannot visit her family in Lincoln as freely as she wishes.
The Echo contacted the Network Rail regarding the situation and a spokesperson replied: “We are delighted that this group of young people are engaged with the important issue of improving access at railway stations.
“Unfortunately, there are a number of stations across the country, such as Sileby, which were built many years ago with little consideration of accessibility.
“We are committed to improving access at stations and work closely with our funders, including the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver improvements.”
Network Rail would be responsible for the physical work at the station but East Midlands Trains. provide a train service to passengers.
An East Midlands Trains spokesperson, told the Echo: “Passengers who cannot access the platforms are offered a free taxi service to the nearest fully accessible station when they book travel assistance through our dedicated passenger assistance helpline.
“Our free assisted travel service has helped thousands of mobility impaired passengers with their travel and can be booked through our website or by calling 08000 11 33 23.”