Published: August 30, 2007
Highbridge railway station slammed in transport survey

Highbridge and Burnham railway station has been named and shamed in a new nationwide survey published this week.

The station, pictured here, has been nominated in the annual 'Weakest Link' survey - organised by campaign group Transport 2000 - which seeks to identify the best and worst train stations across the UK.

Highbridge and Burnham Station was nominated because of a 'lack of buses connecting with train times, poor cycle provision and nearby paths feeling insecure'.

Burnham commuter Mike Newman, who travels to Weston every day from the station, explained to Burnham-On-Sea.com why he had nominated the station: "It's particularly sad that a station with a fairly reasonable service, in the middle of an area earmarked for regeneration, is so poorly linked to other local transport."

He added: "It is also so unfriendly to use – particularly for disabled passengers, who are really only able to travel northbound because of the station's bridges and steps."

Tara Melton of Transport 2000 added: "All stations should have good bus links, decent footpaths and secure cycle parking and must be accessible to all. What our survey shows is that this clearly is not the case for many stations."

"With rail usage growing in the South West it is now more important than ever not to disable or discriminate against rail users and to say ‘good bye’ to inaccessible stations."

In total, 184 stations across the UK were nominated, representing around seven per cent of all stations.

Nationally, the survey found just 29% of respondents thought bus timetables at rail stations were clear and accurate; while 12% of respondents thought bus timetables connected with train timetables.

The ‘Weakest Link’ survey respondents included a mixture of commuters and occasional users throughout England and Wales.