Helen urges Government to sort out Whitchurch Station access

MP Helen Morgan has pressed the Government to prove its commitment to improving public transport and finally address the lack of step-free access at Whitchurch Station.

The Labour Government put the scheme on hold after taking power last year – despite Network Rail having already designed plans for a new lift which were due to progress under the Access for All Scheme.

Helen has long campaigned for this problem to be fixed and finally got confirmation in early 2024 from the then Rail Minister Huw Merriman that the project would go ahead.

Since the election of the new Government – and the scheme’s pause – Helen has submitted parliamentary questions to the Department of Transport, urged Ministers in the chamber on multiple occasions, and met with current Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy to try and get Whitchurch the access it deserves.

This week she again pressed the Government to install a lift in Whitchurch, highlighting that money spent on design and feasibility work was going to waste due to the delay. Helen twice intervened in in a debate on transport accessibility called by her Lib Dem colleague Paul Kohler to urge the Government to act.

In response, Assistant Whip Kate Dearden promised an announcement would be made in the coming months.

As it stands, anyone wishing to travel southbound from Whitchurch must either use 44 steps or first travel northbound to Wrenbury or Nantwich and change over. To access Whitchurch Station from trains heading towards Shrewsbury, passengers must travel to Prees and then head back northbound. This is made worse by those trains being few and far between.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “The people of Whitchurch need action now.

“It is unacceptable that the station is still not accessible, and it is unacceptable that the Labour Government has not committed to sorting it out.

“The designs are in place, money has been spent, we just need Ministers to prove they are serious about improving public transport and approve construction.

“North Shropshire has some of the worst transport links in the country and too many people are isolated and missing out on important opportunities as a result.”