Matthew has welcomed the Conservative Government’s funding to improve accessibility across the rail network for disabled people.
This new funding will provide Mill Hill Broadway station with step-free access, helping thousands of disabled people every day in Hendon constituency use trains more easily to get to work, to access vital services, to travel across the country, and to visit friends and family.
Matthew said:
“I have been campaigning with local people for several years to make Mill Hill Broadway step-free so it is safer for all passengers, especially those with restricted mobility, parents with push chairs and passengers with heavy luggage and I’m delighted that our hard work has paid off.
“This additional funding will make a huge difference to people’s lives in the Hendon constituency and will help thousands more people travel easily and without additional cost, time or stress.”
Nusrat Ghani, Transport Minister, making the announcement said:
“Everyone should be able to access our rail network and I am pleased to announce that Mill Hill Broadway will now become a fully accessible station in the next stage of the programme.
“As a Government, we are committed to providing disabled people with the same access to travel as everyone else and so far we have delivered step-free access at over 200 stations through our Access for All programme and are committed a further £300m of accessibility investment.
“Matthew Offord has been pressing to make Mill Hill Broadway step-free for a considerable time and I’m delighted to be able to announce today that his hard campaigning work has again paid off for the people of Hendon.”
The Conservatives have today announced funding for a further 73 stations that will benefit from the £300m Access for All funding. This is the latest move towards a fully inclusive transport network, which will make it easier for disabled people to use more of the rail network.
75% of rail journeys across the UK now step-free and over the next five years journeys will be opened up across Britain as upgrades including footbridges and lifts make it easier for disabled people to travel on the UK’s rail network.
Several stations will also see smaller scale improvements to allow disabled passengers to travel with confidence. The funding will also benefit those with health conditions or older people with impairments, along with people traveling with children, heavy luggage or shopping.
Transport is vital for connecting people with work, friends and family, but also enabling them to enjoy visiting some of the wonderful cultural, historical and natural sites across the UK.
We want the 13.9 million disabled people in Britain to be empowered to travel independently, which is why the Conservatives are delighted to announce this roll out of upgrades across the rail network.
Over the next five years these newly accessible stations will open up routes across the country, helping us move closer to a transport sector that is truly accessible.
Following nominations from the rail industry, stations were selected based on a range of criteria including footfall weighted by disability in the area, value for money, and local factors such as proximity to a hospital.
The Access for All programme was first launched in 2006 and has delivered more than 200 accessible routes into selected stations so far.
A further 1,500 stations have received smaller scale improvements such as accessible toilets, platform humps to reduce stepping distances and improvements to help those with a visual or hearing impairment.
