Amanda Milling MP calls for action over station accessibility issues.
Amanda Milling, Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase, has hosted a site visit with West Midlands Trains, Staffordshire County Council and Network Rail to discuss access issues at Rugeley Trent Valley Station.
The Cannock Chase MP is keen to see the station have safer access for vehicles which are entering and exiting the car park, as well as platforms with full disabled access. She brought the three agencies together in order to show them the issues that users of the station face.
The entrance to Rugeley Trent Valley directly meets the busy Colton Road and has very poor visibility. The issue is compounded by speeding cars on the road. The MP has received numerous complaints from station users who feel that the access is a potential accident spot.
Amanda Milling MP said: “Anybody who uses the station will know how dangerous the junction can be. When leaving the station there is extremely poor visibility to both the left and the right meaning you can’t easily see what cars are approaching. This is made worse by virtue of the speed at which some cars are approaching. Turning onto the road from the station car park can be challenging for even the most confident of drivers. During our meeting, we could see first-hand the risks that people take when turning onto the road which helped everyone better understand why I have been pressing for action to be taken. During the meeting we discussed various potential actions that are now being further investigated in the hope of addressing the problem.”
The Cannock Chase MP also wants the northbound platform to have full disabled access. Currently the only access to the northbound platform is via a footbridge. There are no lifts or ramps connecting the platform to the rest of the station which means the elderly, wheelchair users, those with limited mobility and parents with heavy prams are unable to use the platform. This is an issue which the Cannock Chase MP has raised in Parliament several times and directly with the Transport Secretary, the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP on his visit to Cannock Chase earlier this year.
Amanda Milling MP added: “Disabled access to the northbound platform is also an issue which needs addressing at Rugeley Trent Valley. There are many people who can’t access the platform at all or really struggle so we really do need to look at alternatives. The meeting at Rugeley Trent Valley was an opportunity for me to make the case to West Midlands Trains and Network Rail and I will continue to press for improvements to be made.”