Concern as Garswood and Earlestown stations left without lift access

With no step-free access at Earlestown and Garswood stations, passengers with wheelchairs, prams, or mobility issues have had real struggles using these transport hubs.

In both areas, residents have long called for funding that could resolve these issues but the stations have, as yet, been omitted from the government's 'Access For All' programme.

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Earlestown station failed to receive accessibility funding (Image: St Helens Star)
Launched in 2006, the 'Access for All' programme was set up to address accessibility problems at UK railway stations and create obstacle-free, accessible railway stations to all platforms.

With Earlestown railway station set to be improved with the town's upcoming £28m regeneration plans, the station was included in Liverpool City Region's bid to gain funding for accessibility improvements.

Earlestown was one of ten stations selected by the Liverpool City Region in its submission for 'Access for All' funding, but the bid was knocked back by the government's Department for Transport (DfT).

The City Region was successful in securing funding for four stations in its submission - Aigburth and Walton in Liverpool and Rock Ferry and Port Sunlight in Wirral - and will match this funding to bring the projects to fruition.

This will leave Earlestown and Garswood as two of 17 stations across Merseyside without lift accessibility, with the City Region saying that it is a "priority to complete the accessibility programme across all remaining stations". 

Cllr Gomez-Aspron has raised concerns about the government's funding decisions (Image: Cllr Gomez-Aspron)
Following the refusal of funding for Earlestown station, Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron said that the council will continue to push for ways to make both stations fully accessible. 

Cllr Gomez-Aspron, the deputy leader of St Helens Council and cabinet member for strategic transport, said: "In their last 6 weeks in office, The Government have refused to fund new lift access at Earlestown Station, despite the Council securing around £9m to totally refurb and reopen the rest of the station in time for the 200th anniversary in 2030 and despite the station being the best used station on the Liverpool Manchester line with no disabled access.

"The government have funded much fewer stations this time round and cut the funding back it seems, so the four in Merseyside to be done, left 6 that didn’t get any funding. And that’s in addition to ignoring stations like Garswood.

"Disabled access shouldn’t be a choice. And we will continue to push for this through other ways.

"It could be something that the new £20m town deal board consider and doesn’t stop the £40m we’ve already secured for Newton-le-Willows. 

"It’s short sighted by government to not fund this work as part of the town centre regeneration to minimise disruption and reduce costs, but something we have come to expect from them.

"Fingers crossed that when we reapply, it’s to a new Labour Government later this year."

The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment.