WEAVER Vale’s Labour MP has lashed out at the government, accusing it of treating disabled and elderly people as ‘second-class citizens’.

Mike Amesbury published a letter written to the secretary of state for transport, Mark Harper MP, on Saturday, April 27, questioning the delay in Northwich railway station’s bid for funds from the government’s Access for All scheme.

The scheme exists to address issues facing disabled passengers, and those with mobility issues, by ensuring an ‘obstacle free and accessible’ route from station entrance to the platform.

According to Mike, the funding bid was entered in 2022, and the outcome was meant to be determined by April 2023, but says his constituents are ‘still waiting’ 12 months on.

In a Facebook post published along with the letter, Mike accuses the government of treating ‘disabled people, elderly residents, and anyone with mobility issues’ as ‘second-class citizens’.

He added recent work to rebuild Northwich Station’s ticket office after it collapsed, which was itself subject to long delays, was ‘a missed opportunity’ to improve access cost-effectively.

In the letter, he states: “It is unacceptable disabled people continue to face unnecessary obstacles when travelling from A to B.

“The far platform is effectively out of bounds for disabled people, those with mobility issues, and parents with pushchairs because it can only be reached by footbridge.

“I’m sure you would agree we must ensure public transport is inclusive and accessible for all.

“Funding is needed to create step-free access at the station, something I have campaigned for since being elected in 2017.

“Submitted in 2022, we had been told the outcome of the bid was expected by the end of April 2023, at the latest. Here we are, 12 months on and still waiting.”

The Department for Transport says it is currently looking at more than 300 applications for the Access for All fund, and that its programme of refitting lifts, installing new tactile surfaces, ramps, footbridges, new ticket gates, and accessible waiting rooms and toilets, is ongoing. 

A spokesman said: “We have already funded step-free access at over 230 stations through our Access for All programme and, thanks to reallocated HS2 funding, we have committed a further £350 million to improve accessibility at up to 100 more.

"We are currently reviewing project applications and will provide further information in due course.”