Access for All – nominated stations

On 24th May 2024, the government announced the 50 stations set to benefit from the £350 million of funding for step-free access as part of the funding settlement for Control Period 7 (2024-2029). You can find the full list here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railway-stations-awarded-access-for-all-accessibility-funding/railway-stations-awarded-access-for-all-accessibility-funding *South Croydon makes an appearance in this list, even though it was actually awarded funding in the March 2020 budget.

As part of the campaign team, I was delighted that Leagrave station in Luton was on the list, I was intrigued by the mention of the 310 stations that were nominated for funding (either by train operating companies, Network Rail or combined authorities) but ultimately were not successful.

I therefore lodged a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the Department for Transport asking for the names of these stations. The data contained in the response to this request is set out in the list of stations below.

Disappointingly, my local station Arlesey, a station with step-free access to each platform, but without vital cross-platform access (which basically means the station is not suitable for independent travel) was not on the list and therefore had not been nominated.

An explanation of platform categories created by the office for Rail and Road is set out below. All train companies must provide the public with this information and grade their stations A, B or C:

The Office for Rail and Road (ORR) also provides a sub-category for category B platforms. While it is not mandatory for train companies to provide this information, it is recommended.

Arlesey station is classified as a B2 station – some step-free access to all platforms, but with no cross-platform access. The 310 nominated stations in the FOI response are listed below. The stations highlighted in red were awarded funding in May 2024.

Station Name	Category of Platform	Comments
Accrington	B
AIGBURTH	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Alexandra Palace	C	Originally awarded funding in 2014
Ancaster	B
Apsley	B
Arundel	B2
ASH VALE	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Aylesham	B3
Baldock	C
Barming	B3
Barrow-upon-Soar	B
Battersea Park	C	Originally awarded funding in 2014
BATTLE	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Beccles	B2
BELLGROVE	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Bellingham	C
Belper	B
Ben Rhydding	B	600m route between platforms
Berwick upon Tweed	A	Station is already step-free!
Biggleswade	C	Already awarded funding in 2019
Bingham	B
BODMIN PARKWAY	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Bottesford	B
Bournemouth	B2
Bowes Park	C
Box Hill & Westhumble	B3
BREDBURY	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Brentwood	B1
Bridgeton	C
Bridgwater	B2
Broadbottom	B
Bromborough	C
Brondesbury	C
Bruce Grove	C
Burnley Manchester Road	B
Burntisland	B
Burscough Bridge	B
Burton Joyce	B
BUSHEY	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Carnforth	B
Carshalton Beeches	B3
CASTLE CARY	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Cathcart	C
Chapeltown	B1
Chepstow	B3
Cheshunt	B1
Chester-le-Street	B
CHINLEY	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Chislehurst	B3
Cholsey	C
Christs Hospital	B3
CHURCH & OSWALDTWISTLE	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Clock House	B3
Cogan	B3
(Colchester)	B1	?
Collingham	B
Cramlington	B
Craven Arms	B2
Crayford	B1
Cressington	C
Crianlarich	C
Cricklewood	B3	Awarded funding in CP6 – in development
Croftfoot	C
Crouch Hill	C
DALSTON KINGSLAND	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Darlington	A	?
Davenport	C
Diss	B2
DORCHESTER SOUTH	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Dorking Deepdene	C
Drayton Park	C
DUDLEY PORT	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Duffield	C
DUMBARTON CENTRAL	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Earlestown	B
Earlswood (Surrey)	B3
Eastbrook	B2
Edenbridge Town	B3
Elephant & Castle	C
Elmers End	B2
Elmstead Woods	B3
Elton & Orston	B	2 trains a day
Enfield Chase	C
Erith	B3
ESHER	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Essex Road	C
Etchingham	B1
Exeter St Thomas	C
FALKIRK GRAHAMSTON	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Falkirk High	B
Faversham	B1
Finchley Road & Frognal	C
Fiskerton	B
Flitwick	C	Awarded funding in March 2020
FLOWERY FIELD	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Gipsy Hill	B3
Glynde	B3
Godstone	B3
Gordon Hill	C
Grangetown	C
Great Missenden	B1
Guiseley	B
GUNNERSBURY	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Hackney Downs	B	Awarded funding in 2019
Hadley Wood	B3
Hagley	B3
Halesworth	B2
Hall I’ Th’ Wood	C
Hampden Park	B1
Hampton Wick	C
Harleseden	C
Harlington	C
Harringay	C
Hatfield Peverel	B3
Hattersley	C
Havenhouse	B
Haydons Road	B3
Headcorn	B3
Healing	B
Heckington	B
HEDGE END	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Hendon	B3
Hertford North	B3	Awarded funding in 2019
HIGH BROOMS	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Highbridge & Burnham	B2
Honley	C
Horsforth	B
Horsley	B1
Hough Green	B
Hurst Green	B2
Insch	B
INVERURIE	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Keighley	A	?
Kent House	C
Kentish Town	C
Kentish Town West	C	? Conflicting information
KEW BRIDGE	C	AWARDED FUNDING
KIDBROOKE	B1	AWARDED FUNDING
Kingham	B3
Kings Langley	B3	Awarded funding in 2019
Kirkby-in-Ashfield	C
Knebworth	C
Knottingley	B
Langho	C
Langley Mill	B
Lawrence Hill	B3
LEAGRAVE	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Leatherhead	B1	Awarded funding in 2019
LEDBURY	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Lenham	B3
Levenshulme	C
Leyton Midland Road	A	?
Leytonstone High Road	A	?
Lingfield	B3
Liskeard	B2
Llantwit Major	B1
Llwynypia	B1
Long Buckby	C
Longport	B
Longton	C
Loughborough Junction	C
Luton	B3	Funding deferred from CP5 to CP6
MAIDSTONE WEST	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
MARDEN	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Market Rasen	B
Marks Tey	B2
Meldreth	B3
Melton Mowbray	B
Merstham	B2
Mill Hill	C
Mill Hill Broadway	C	Awarded funding in 2019
Millom	B
Moorside	C
Morden South	C
Moulsecoomb	B3
Nailsea & Blackwell	B3
NEATH	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Needham Market	B3
Netherfield	C
New Barnet	C
New Southgate	C
Newcastle	B2
NEWTON FOR HYDE	C	AWARDED FUNDING
North Dulwich	C
North Sheen	C
North Walsham	B2
Northwich	B
Norwood Junction	B	No proper classification – LO
Nutbourne	B2
Oakleigh Park	C
Oldfield Park	B2
Oxenholme Lake District	B1
Palmers Green	C	Awarded funding in 2014?
Par	B3
Parson Street	C
Peckham Rye	C	Awarded funding in 2014 – not complete
Abergavenny	B2	Awarded funding in 2019
Pengam	B3
Penge East	B2
Penistone	B	Barrow Crossing
Peterborough	A	Completed LNER
Pewsey	B2
Polmont	B
Pontyclun	B1
Pontypool & New Inn	C
PORT SUNLIGHT	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Prestbury	B
Preston Park	C
Prittlewell	B3
Pulborough	B3
Queens Park (London)	C	Conflicting data between NRE and RDG
Queenstown Road	C
Radcliffe-on-Trent	B
Radlett	C
Rainham (Essex)	B?	Not classified c2c
Ramsgreave & Wilpshire	C
Rauceby	B
Ravensbourne	B3
RAYNES PARK	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Reading West	B3
Rectory Road	A	Not classified LO
Redcar Central	B
Redcar East	B
Reedham	B3
Reigate	B1
Rishton	B
ROCK FERRY	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Rose Grove	C
RUABON	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Rugeley Trent Valley	B3
Sandbach	B
Seamer	B1
Seven Sisters	C	Conflicting Data between NRE and RDG
Sevenoaks	B1
Shenfield	A	? Greater Anglia
Shepley	B
Shettleston	B
Shifnal	B3
SHOTTON	B3	Originally awarded funding in 2019 CP6
Sidcup	B1
SILEBY	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Silver Street	A	? Not classified LO
Silverdale	B
Skipton	A	Northern
SLEAFORD	B	AWARDED FUNDING
SMALL HEATH	C	AWARDED FUNDING
SOUTH CROYDON	C	Originally awarded funding March 2020
South Merton	C
Southwick	B2
Spalding	A?	No classification – EMR
Spital	C
Springburn	C
St Helier	C
St. James Street	C
STAMFORD	C	AWARDED FUNDING
Stamford Hill	C
Stoke Mandeville	B1
Stoke Newington	C
Stone	B3
Stonebridge Park	C
Stonehaven	B
STROUD	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Sutton Common	C
SWANWICK	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Swaythling	B
Swineshead	B
Teignmouth	B2
Thetford	B2
THIRSK	B2	AWARDED FUNDING
Thornton Abbey	B
Thorpe Bay	B?	No classification c2c
Thorpe-le-Soken	C
Thurgarton	B
Tooting	C	Conflicting info between NRE and RDG
Torre	B3
Trowbridge	B2
Tulse Hill	C
Tyseley	C
ULVERSTON	B	AWARDED FUNDING
UPMINSTER	?	no classification c2c
Waddon	B3
Wadhurst	B3
Wallasey Village	C
Wallington	B2
WALTON	B	AWARDED FUNDING
Wandsworth Common	B3
Wanstead Park	A?	SFA but no classification LO
Welham Green	B3
West Dulwich	C
West Norwood	B1
West Sutton	C
Westcliff	B?	not classified c2c
Whalley	B
WHITCHURCH (SHROPSHIRE)	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Whittlesea	B2
Whittlesford Parkway	B2
Wickford	B2
Willington	C
Wimbledon Chase	C
Winchmore Hill	C
WIVELSFIELD	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
Wivenhoe	B3
Wood Street	C
Woodgrange Park	A?	not classified – LO
Woodley	C
Woodsmoor	C
Workington	C
WYMONDHAM	B3	AWARDED FUNDING
YEOVIL JUNCTION	C	AWARDED FUNDING
York	A	Already completed

I have been told by a rail industry insider that the Department for Transport call for nominations letter for this round of funding stated: “Priority will be given to stations that currently have no access to and between platforms over stations where this is possible, even if the existing route is not ideal.”

There are several anomalies in the above table and I see it as a ‘live’ document; some stations are not classified at all, contravening the ORR’s Accessible Travel Policy guidance, some stations have conflicting guidance between the data on the National Rail Enquiries website and the Rail Delivery Group’s ‘Access Map’ and most disappointingly some stations such as Battersea Park and Peckham Rye were awarded funding way back in 2014 and are still awaiting step-free access.

A letter to the then Minister of State for Transport to the then Chair of the Transport Select Committee sets out the criteria for the selection process for nominated stations. It should be noted that there is no limit to the number of nominations a stakeholder such as a Train Operating Company can put forward.

I am happy to discuss any of the above with disability activists from across the country, particularly relating to the nominated stations in the above list and those stations for which campaigns took place, but were not successful. What the list does set out is that there is a very long way to go before we achieve anything resembling an accessible rail network in the UK. It should be one of our top priorities. I have yet to see any evidence that it will be.

Julian Vaughan

17th July 2024