The news that Kings Langley Station has been selected to be given ‘vital upgrades’ which will make it accessible for all has been welcomed by Hertfordshire Action on Disability (HAD).
Improvements to the station include the installation of lifts, an accessible route into the station, handrails and treads on staircases – subject to a practical design.
This has been described as “good news for local older and disabled people” by communications office of HAD, Paul Bishop.
Speaking to KingsNews, he said: “It is good news, however the project needs to be well thought through and planners need to learn from fundamental mistakes that have been made at other stations in the past.
“There have been cases at other stations where after the upgrade, wheelchair passengers were often left stranded on inaccessible parts of the platform.
“These upgrades have to be thought through on every detail. For example, a similar scenario at Welwyn Garden City bus station where arrival and departure screens were built too high for wheelchair users to view.”
Once plans and final costs have been agreed, work is due to be carried out by March 2024.
Paul believes that “hassle-free travel” will only happen once every station in the UK are made accessible.
He explained: “All stations, nationwide should be made accessible. Older and disabled people should have the right to be able to travel to work, or indeed anywhere, as easily as possible.
“It’s not just disabled people that are short-changed, any parent with a pushchair knows how tricky and dangerous it can be travelling by rail, bus or tube.”
HAD provide a number of services to improve the lives of older and disabled people through a number of services. For more information about their services, call 01707 324581 or visit www.hadnet.org.uk
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