Campaigners calling for step free access at Ruabon Station to meet with UK transport minister

Campaigners calling for improved access at Ruabon station are to meet with the UK Transport Minister.

Current access to the north bound Chester platform at the station is only possible by a footbridge with long flights of stairs on both platforms, with all passengers having to negotiate over 50 steps on this footbridge.

It is also the only station on the line that does not meet step-free access needs for passengers.

Back in 2018 a campaign to secure funding for step-free access to both platforms was launched. However earlier this year Wrexham.com reported that the station had failed to secure disabled access funding from UK Government.

Welsh Government funding for improvements was also lost in 2019.

Over the years the campaign for step free access has been a priority Wrexham County Borough Council and the Chester to Shrewsbury Rail Partnership, who have worked closely with the Welsh Government and MS Ken Skates to secure funding from the UK Government under the Access for All Scheme.

Now Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Place, Environment and Transport and Chair of the Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership has welcomed the news that Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has secured a meeting with the Government Transport Minister to discuss the lack of step free access at the station.

Cllr Bithell said: ‘We are very pleased to have Simons support for this campaign and for securing this meeting.

“We documented the issues at this station as far back as 2006 and have been supporting bids to have the access addressed for some time.

“There has been support from the local elected members in Ruabon and from the community itself including a petition which the former MP presented to Parliament in 2017.

“We very much hope that we can all work together to ensure Ruabon Station finally meets the needs of all passengers and look forward to the outcome of this meeting.”