Plans are a foot to spend money on disabled access to every station along the line that need better facilities. The headlines on Basildon Echo site says 'Station access plans ‘bad use of £20,000’ and goes on to say that commuters have criticised plans to spend more than £20,000 on improving disabled access at rail stations, by saying it is not enough.
The installation of push buttons at wheelchair height and power-assisted doors at station and ticket offices along the c2c line, are being done in an effort to improve accessibility. The Government has announced it will spend £10,750 at Leigh, £6,250 at Benfleet and £3,125 at Laindon. By all accounts, these schemes were announced as part of a £6million project to improve disabled access at 161 stations across the country, but other stations have been given funding for lifts and ramps.
One passenger who uses a wheelchair and travels from Benfleet, said while he welcomed any measures to improve access, the layout of Benfleet station meant he did not use the ticket office, but instead phoned from the platform. He also went on to say: 'If they wanted to do something useful, they should be fining the rail companies who are saying it's too expensive to do anything about accessibility on the stations that don't have disabled access. If they raised the platform level like they have on many buses, then we could get on and off the train.'
The Co-chairman of the Southend Rail Travellers' Association, agreed with the gentleman, describing the announcement as a "token gesture". He said: "For Benfleet, getting off London-bound is OK. But coming back, people have got to go on to Leigh, get off, go on the lift, and then get the train back to Benfleet. I have never seen Leigh station closed and don't think work there is worth £10,000. The money could be better spent where disabled access is a problem such as at Benfleet, Southend East and Chalkwell.'
A spokesman for c2c, said the company was "itching" to improve access at Benfleet, but was waiting to get the final approval from the Government Office for the East of England.
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They withdrew the 302s, 310s and 312s because they were "against" health & safely measures, and the disibility descrimination act, yet wheelchair users are still wheeled up a ramp onto the train the same way they have been for years, and passengers still get injuryed with the automatic doors closing on them
