Step-free access plans 'could have cost £10m'

Rejected plans to make a Herefordshire railway station more accessible could have cost £10m, according to a councillor.

Currently the northern platform of Ledbury station, which handles eastbound trains, can only be reached by a footbridge which is not able to be used by those who need step-free access.

Such passengers have to travel on to Colwall, then take another train back down to be on the town side of Ledbury station.

Councillor Justine Peberdy said a figure of £10m was quoted as a "rough, ballpark figure" before funding was refused by the government in January.

Her comments were made at a meeting of organisations involved to look at how the proposal could be kept alive, organised by MP Ellie Chowns.

Peberdy added that the lack of a full feasibility study or business case for the proposal had counted against it in the government's funding decisions.

She said she hoped this could be addressed ahead of future chances of getting funding.

"That could be funded by Herefordshire Council, by National Rail, or by local businesses," she said.

"But the studies alone can cost tens of thousands of pounds."

Local transport campaigner and wheelchair user Cameron Wood said: "Even having a feasibility study won't necessarily change their minds.

"I'm 29 now and nothing has been done on this in my lifetime."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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