New accessible waiting spaces installed at West Midlands stations
Accessible waiting spaces have now been installed at over 35 stations by West Midlands Railway (WMR) to help wheelchair users access passenger assistance
Accessible waiting spaces have now been installed at more than 35 railway stations by West Midlands Railway (WMR) to help wheelchair users access passenger assistance more easily.
The scheme is the result of a partnership between West Midlands Railway and disability campaigner Cameron Wood, who lives with Cerebral Palsy and Hydrocephalus.
The designated waiting spaces provide a clear meeting point for passengers requiring assistance and rail staff, helping make journeys more accessible and reducing uncertainty when travelling.
The spaces are marked with a blue rectangle featuring a wheelchair symbol, along with signage above the waiting area.
The initiative has now been rolled out at stations across the West Midlands, including locations in Worcestershire, Coventry, Shropshire and Birmingham, marking another milestone for the accessibility project championed by Cameron.
Cameron, said the scheme helps disabled passengers travel with greater confidence.: “As a wheelchair user, rail travel has rarely been easy.
"This changed in 2023 when I suggested that West Midlands Railway trial dedicated waiting spaces on station platforms across its network.
"The idea came from my experiences at Witton station on match days after attending games at Villa Park, and those experiences have helped drive the accessibility improvements now being introduced.
"The spaces give those with accessibility needs somewhere safe to wait and then train crew know that they should go to them, see if anybody's waiting within the box, and then assist that person onto their train, enabling them to complete their journey."
Sophie Morris, director of customer experience at WMR, said: “We are dedicated to making the railway accessible for everyone.
"Working with Cameron, we identified a need for these spaces and chose which stations to install them in by looking at multiple factors such as footfall and the volume of passenger assistance bookings each year.
"We hope they will help disabled passengers feel more confident using the rail network, while allowing our staff to provide assistance quickly.”