Clydesdale MP in push for disabled access boost to Carstairs station

Clydesdale MP David Mundell is pressing for action to improve disabled access at local railway stations, and in particular for measures to be taken to provide step-free access to Carstairs station.

His call comes in anticipation of a new round of funding from the UK Government’s Access for All scheme, which is intended to increase access to railway stations for disabled people.

While decisions on individual projects are taken by the Department for Transport, the Scottish Government put forward their nominations in priority order and David has now written to Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport Michael Matheson MSP, urging him to nominate Carstairs station for action.

David Mundell MP said: “It is fundamentally unfair that disabled passengers should have less direct access to public transport such as railway stations than other people, but too often that is still the case. The next round of Access for All funding can be an opportunity to help put that right.

“Carstairs station is used by many of my constituents in rural Clydesdale and I know accessibility improvements to it have been considered as part of a larger scheme of works, but as yet no action has been taken and there is still no step-free access at the station and stairs down to the island platform.

“That’s why I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to set out my concerns and to urge him to look favourably on the case for making improvements to disabled access at Carstairs station. 

“If the Scottish Government were to nominate the station for priority action under the next round of Access for All funding that would be a big step forward to resolving this completely unsatisfactory situation.”