The motion for debate at Oldham Council on Wednesday 14 December is about IMPROVING RAILWAY STATION ACCESSIBILITY.

The motion is about the failure of the railway system in general to adapt to the needs of the 21st century especially regarding the less agile elderly, those with young children and those with baggage or disabilities.

Indeed Councillor Sykes points out that ” about half of the railway stations across Greater Manchester still require work to make them fully accessible, in stark contrast to the Metrolink system which is notable for the care taken to cater for all.”

Taking a more ‘local’ look at Oldham’s only railway station: Greenfield

Councillor McCann states that ” whilst the station now has an information system, a staffed booking office (wonderfully helpful staff) and a toilet, there is still no way a disabled person can get to the platform for trains to Huddersfield and beyond or indeed get from Manchester to Greenfield due to the long, steep flight of steps to the bridge used as the travelers crossing.” 

The present station arrangement is down to the age of the station and lack of national rail will and finance to modernise stations to enable full access for all.

So when a multi million pound project is announced to electrify the line with all the major works this entails including bridge rebuild at Greenfield then says Cllr. McCann “one would think that whilst doing major works the chance would be taken to include disabled access in the actual works; a position fully supported by Oldham council who have fought with local groups to facilitate this approach.

It makes sense on financial, efficiency and fairness grounds. But there has not been any indication that common sense has penetrated the depths of the rail planners.” 

Council 14 December 2016 – Notice of Opposition Business – Motion 3 – Improving Railway Station Accessibility

This Council notes:

• The Government’s stated commitment to encourage people with disabilities to return to paid employment
• The important role of railways in getting people to and from their places of work
• That, in contrast to Metrolink, disabled people still face difficulties in accessing some rail services
• The importance of the £102 million Department for Transport ‘Access for All’ programme in funding adaptations to railway stations to make them more accessible
• That around half of all of the 96 railway stations across Greater Manchester still require more work to make them accessible, including the only railway station in the borough, Greenfield Station

This Council notes with concern:

• Proposals within the recent Hendy Report to defer half of the ‘Access for All’ projects until the period 2019-24 meaning unacceptable delays in the adaptations to stations
• That any delay to the adaptation of a station means that rail services there will not be accessible to all which is contrary to UK equalities legislation

Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to:

• Write to the relevant Secretary of State asking him to reject the proposed re-phasing of Access for All projects and to instead, wherever possible, undertake more station adaptations at the current time
• Write to the Chair of Transport for Greater Manchester Committee and the Lead member on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority for Transport Tony Lloyd urging them to consider how more funding can be made available to bring our region’s railway stations up to the high accessibility standards of Metrolink

Proposed by: Councillor John McCann

Seconded by: Councillor Howard Sykes MBE