Ledbury one of 19 stations to have accessibility upgrades shelved
Government sets criteria for allocating funds to railway accessibility projects
Ledbury railway station is one of 19 stations across Britain that will not currently be progressing with accessibility upgrade plans as part of the Access for All (AfA) programme, according to an announcement by the Department for Transport.
The programme, which aims to deliver step-free accessible routes at railway stations to improve accessibility for passengers, has completed upgrades at over 270 stations since beginning in 2006.
However, only eight new projects will move directly to delivery and a further 23 projects will proceed to detailed designs following a review of feasibility studies.
Ledbury was among the remaining 19 projects announced in May 2024 that will not progress further at this stage.
Decisions were made based on criteria including the station’s usage levels, cost-effectiveness, available third-party funding contributions, and whether pre-existing technical development work was available.
The Rail Minister will write to the respective MPs of the 19 impacted stations, explaining the reasons behind the decision and offering to meet to provide further clarification.
For stations like Ledbury, the possibility of inclusion in a future round of the AfA programme may arise during the next spending review.
No timeline or process has yet been determined for identifying potential projects under any future funding rounds.
The government emphasised that considering third-party contributions will be a key part of assessing proposals for future schemes, recognising the limitations of government funding for accessibility improvements at railway stations.
You can find out more about the programme on the GOV.UK website.