Train Station: Needham Market Rail Station

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Location:

- Needham Market

Ratings:
  • Staff Helpfulness
  • Ease of Access

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Features:
  • Accessible parking spaces
  • Accessible toilets
  • Personal assistance
  • Step-free access
  • Help points
  • Lifts
  • Changing Places

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Reviews (1)

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Despite significant ‘improvements’ to Needham Market Railway Station in recent years (costing over £700,000) access to the Ipswich-bound platform remains by steep underground stairway only – a physical challenge for passengers with limited mobility, with buggies, bikes, or heavy suitcases, and an impossibility for wheelchair users.

Additionally, the new ramp from the car park to the Cambridge-bound platform is well above the maximum 1 in 12 gradient required to comply with Building Regulations, creating further significant problems for wheel chair users.

Needham Market is a growing town with large new estates planned for hundreds of homes over the next few years. Abellio East Anglia Limited (trading as Greater Anglia) claims to be committed to complying with its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, and pledges to make its services accessible to all. Abellio has a ten year contract to run our trains and stations and so has no excuse not to make full access an urgent priority.

We do have a petition running, the local petition (nearly 1500 signatures April 2018) to achieve an alternative to the 49 steep steps to access or disembark from the Ipswich-bound platform.
Currently wheelchair users, and many others with limited mobility, travelling with buggies, toddlers, heavy luggage or bicycles, are unable to use our train station; it is also restricting economic development in this fast-growing area.

Our campaign has been busy:
Ongoing coverage in local newspapers and Radio Suffolk
Meetings with Council and Railway officials and support of local organisations, businesses, and Councils at Town, District and County level
Support of national organisations such as Campaign for Better Transport

In March 2018 we met with Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport, together with MP Jo Churchill – both are now aware of our station’s exceptionally poor access facilities and of our campaign to improve this.

It is likely Government will be considering new funding in late 2018 – this will be a national ‘pot’ and competition will be fierce. We need as much evidence of local support as possible to increase our chance of a Government grant – our goal is AT LEAST 2000 signatures.

PLEASE HELP US BY SHARING THIS PETITION AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SIGN. tinyurl.com/needhamstation

AND CAN ‘LIKE’ AND ‘FOLLOW’ OUR FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PROFILES: @NMAccessforAll

~ THANK YOU ~

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