Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox has urged the Government to take action on long‑standing accessibility issues at Highbridge railway station and Bridgwater railway station, warning that disabled and less mobile passengers are still unable to travel safely and independently between platforms.
Speaking during the Railways Bill debate in Parliament, Ashley Fox backed proposals requiring Great British Railways to develop a national accessibility strategy and raise standards across the network.
He told MPs that neither station in his constituency offers a fully accessible route between platforms, forcing passengers with mobility difficulties to leave the station and take a lengthy detour via public roads.
He said he had recently tested the route himself during a visit to Highbridge station, reported here by Burnham-On-Sea.com, using a mobility scooter to experience the journey faced by disabled passengers. The experience, he said, was “difficult and alarming”.
In his speech, Ashley Fox said a modern railway must allow everyone to travel “safely, independently and with dignity”, adding that the current arrangements at both stations are “not only inconvenient but unsafe”.
He also expressed disappointment that neither station is currently expected to receive funding through the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme, which supports accessibility upgrades.
The MP said he will continue working with Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council, Network Rail and Great Western Railway to push for improvements at Highbridge and for wider accessibility upgrades across the constituency.
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Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox sees accessibility challenges at Highbridge Railway Station
