A WORCESTER woman has spoken out about the lack of disabled access at Shrub Hill station.
Lynda Wood, who is currently awaiting a hip replacement, recently visited the station to say goodbye to her brother and his partner after their visit.
Due to the lack of handicap access for Lynda, she was unable to say goodbye as she had to stay on the other side of the platform.
Lynda asks where funding went for the government’s Access For All campaign, in 2013 where Shrub Hill Station received £1.5m to improve access for people with disabilities.
However, a West Midlands Railway spokesperson said improvements were underway.
READ MORE: Worcester Shrub Hill station to receive lifts in £1.5million project
She said: “My question is where are the promised lifts and what happened to the £1.5million?
“I find it outrageous that in 2022 people with disabilities still have to cross train tracks.”
Her sister-in-law is also awaiting knee replacement surgery, with staff expected to help her through the lines.
Lynda said: “On Sunday August 28 I took my brother and his wife there to catch the train to Paddington on their way back to Australia.
“My sister-in-law is awaiting knee replacement surgery and, as you can imagine without an elevator, she had to walk through the lines, assisted by a member of staff.
“I’m expecting a hip replacement myself so I stayed on the other side and almost said goodbye to them as two trains were in the way at the same time.
“I was told I could have gone to Foregate station, but you can’t park there for a while.”
READ MORE: New lift will improve access to Worcester Shrub Hill station
In 2019, it was reported that the station was back online for a further £500,000 of Access for All’s £300 million funding to provide the lift.
A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: “Ensuring the railway is accessible to all is a priority for us.
“We are working closely with Network Rail who are preparing to install lifts at Shrub Hill so passengers can step-free access to each platform.
“This complex project is currently in its final design phase and work is expected to begin next year.
“Until the works are complete, all passengers requiring step-free access can continue to use nearby Worcester Foregate Street to access rail services.”
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