Michael Fabricant is piling on the pressure to get disabled access at Lichfield Trent Valley railway station and has just received a written Parliamentary Answer from the Junior Minister, Norman Baker.

Michael Fabricant asked: “When will Lichfield Trent Valley rail station will be upgraded to enable disabled access to those platforms at the station which are currently inaccessible to disabled passengers and those with heavy luggage; and if he will make a statement.”

Norman Baker replied: “We are committed to improving access to railway stations and last summer announced a further £100 million to extend the Access for All programme from 2015 until 2019. We will be working with the industry and local authorities to select stations for the extended programme this year and, although I cannot guarantee that Lichfield Trent Valley will be chosen, it will be considered along with other currently inaccessible stations across the country.”

Michael now says: “I will continue to pile on the pressure. It cannot be tolerated that a mainline station like Lichfield Trent Valley can have such poor access. Two out of the three platforms are inaccessible to disabled passengers.

“Meanwhile, in Transport Questions in the House of Commons on Thursday morning (17th January), I shall be raising the poor standard of service provided by London Midland trains.

“Too many are either cancelled, late, or stop at Four Oaks when exhausted commuters were expecting the train to reach Lichfield. This is not good enough for my constituents” Michael adds. “I will want to know how much further London Midland will have to fail before their licence is revoked and what prospects there are for an improved service.”