On 10th February 2021, Northern Rail, launched a £250,000 fund that stations on the Northern Rail network could apply to to improve access. Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station submitted a funding bid to enhance access to the village station.
This page gives full details of the Northern Accessibility Fund
Over the 4 weeks that the funding process was open, Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station worked with residents to put together funding proposals to help improve further access to the village station. The station has seen many improvements ranging from, level access to both platforms, which have a good surface, are well lit and sign posted, and benefit from tactile paving. The station has many modern facilities, like CCTV, a customer help point, twin level grab rails to the station platform, a public address system, real time information displays and a ticket machine.
It is worth looking at how much of a challenge Hunmanby Railway Station and the trains would have been to access in years gone by.
Link to old photographs of Hunmanby Railway Station
The Northern Rail Accessibility Fund bid for Hunmanby station was put together during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the station group are grateful for the help and advice from officers in local government, the rail industry, and the Department for Transport. Having put together a funding bid, the last week was spent seeking 'match funding' this is where an organisation offers to contribute towards the cost if the application is successful. 'Match funding' helps to support grant applications. The full bid is shown below. This is both to thank those involved for their help and support and be accessible to other groups who may find the information useful.
Name of the Project
Making Hunmanby Railway Station better for residents and visitors, particularly mobility scooter and wheelchair users and blind travellers.
Tell us about your scheme or project
Hunmanby has seen increased train services and passenger growth increased 43% last year; it has exceeded national passenger growth over the last 15 years. link to This is Coast National Rail Awards News Story
We suggest these low-cost, low-tech enhancements would help disabled travellers share in these improvements.
Wooden Box Step on platform 1 positioned to align with the train’s rear door (Cost £100 to £200)
A simple product used at other rural unstaffed stations with a high step up to the train, e.g., Dunkeld & Birnam on the Highland Main Line. The box step would enable a totally blind traveller boarding the train to find a carriage door unaided. As the boxes are theoretically movable but normally left in place, there should be a tactile marker on the platform, to reassure blind travellers that they are still in the correct position. The box steps would also make it easier for people with mobility difficulties, and for families with small children, who would otherwise need help from adults climbing onto or off the train. The local trains have ramps which can be used for wheelchair access, but a wheelchair ramp is not designed to be used by a person on foot.
Pair of Dropped Kerbs with tactile paving: (Cost £2,000 to £3,000)
When approaching the station from the village, there are two low curved kerbs that lead to the old goods yard. The bid is to replace these with two dropped kerbs with tactile paving. This would make it easier to get to the station, for wheelchair users, residents with a visual impairment and passengers pulling luggage.
Spot Tarmac Repairs to Footpath to railway station along Bridlington Street (cost £200)
£300 has been offered from Cllr Roberta Swiers Locally Budget for this scheme. £200 of this would go to fund spot tarmac repairs in conjunction with the installation of 2 dropped kerbs.
Mobility Scooter Parking Area with securing post on Platform 1 (cost £150)
Northern Rail is developing routes on which scooters can be taken on trains. There are often practical problems, like platform height and platform width for turning. Currently on the local route stations are Hull, Beverley and Bridlington. Link to Northern rail Mobility Scooters webpage
Adapting all low use stations would be very costly, yet Hunmanby station is well suited to travellers with mobility scooters: it has easy gradients, level access to both platforms, and tactile paving on both platform edges. The pavement from the village to the station is a good width. So, a marked parking area for scooters with a lockable securing post would make it easier for scooter drivers to use the train. The scooter parking would be designed to complement the new CCTV system due to be installed by Northern Rail.
How will your project enable disabled and older people to travel with Northern, and/or improve the accessibility of Northern trains and stations?
If the bid is successful Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station would help to raise awareness, including details in the local rail timetable and event guide which is distributed twice a year to every household in the village by 23 local volunteers. In addition to promoting the mobility scooter parking space at the station and improved pavement access Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station would organise simple familiarization trips to Bridlington. This would be especially helpful because of increasing concerns over the long-term impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Many people in Hunmanby have remained indoors for a year, and a pleasant trip from Hunmanby to Bridlington station would help them realise how they can benefit from train travel.
What evidence do you have that the project scheme is needed?
Local support has been ongoing. In 2019 Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station applied for one Harrington Hump, through the Department for Transport’s ‘Access for All Funding’.
Link to Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station Access for All funding application
Though unsuccessful this project involved letters from 7 local disabled residents and young families who have continued to be involved in this simpler project. Also, letters of support for improving level access were written to the Department for Transport, Northern and Network Rail as well from our Member of Parliament, County Councillor, both our Borough Councillors, Hunmanby Parish Council, Hunmanby Patient Participation Group, Yorkshire Coast & Ryedale Disability Forum and Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership.
With the costs of one Harrington Hump now budgeted at £100,000, we feel there are cheaper improvements we can make to our station’s accessibility. Hunmanby station has no car parking, nor a space for a Blue Badge holder. The village has some of the highest levels of chronic illness in the country. Link to Hunmanby Doctors Surgery Qualities & Outcomes Framework 2021
Residents often need to use the Hull hospitals for day treatment, such as daily for 4-week chemotherapy, and going by train can save a long drive by car. Both Cottingham and Hull stations have good bus and taxi links for onward transport.
North Yorkshire County Council, Executive Member of Access, Councillor Don Mackenzie
“After the recent success at this year’s Community Rail Network Awards it is good to see the wider community yet again coming together to give their support (including financial) for a few relatively small schemes that would improve accessibility to the railway station. NYCC support the bid in principle and will work with the community on the installation of dropped kerbs as resources allow.”
North Yorkshire Centre for Independent Living, Carl Maw Chief Officer
‘Mobility scooters transform the lives of thousands of people all over the UK. Those people who find mobility prevents them living how they otherwise would like, and those whose bodies are slowing down and can no longer walk for long distances or stand for long periods of time are now experiencing opportunities that would otherwise have been limited. For many mobility scooters are a lifeline to maintaining independence.
With the growth in technology mobility scooters have unfortunately become attractive to thieves. They’re often taken by opportunistic thieves, either to sell on or for joy rides (albeit rather gentle ones, as most only reach walking speeds). This leaves the mobility scooter owner without a means of transportation and prevents them from being able to carry on with their daily life thus seriously effecting their ability to live independently."
With the growth in use, it’s become a necessity to provide secure parking areas in public areas such as railway stations so as not to exclude those with mobility issues from using public transport but equally importantly so they can be left in confidence assured that their vital lifeline won’t be stolen.’
Filey Lions Club, John Sellers, Lion President
‘Filey lions club work exclusively with our local community providing grant funding and donations for needy cases and worthwhile projects supporting all genre of groups within our district.
We are fully in support of the Friends of Hunmanby Railway station application to improve access for the villagers and users of the station. Our area, and particularly Hunmanby has a high level of elderly and residents with physical disabilities or debilitating illnesses any improvements to their environment to make life easier for them has to be welcomed.
On that basis we fully support the application, and I am sure will be supporting it financially when we have the time to discuss with the club members.’
Hun-Free Fridge, Heather Nicholson, Chair Person
‘Hun-Free Fridge Hun- Free Community Fridge serves the community by working in partnership with local food retailers to reduce the amount of food waste going into landfill. Food is distributed to local people free of charge, the service has also become a support system by providing emotional and mental well-being to residents and volunteers. Hun-Free Fridge fully supports this application as it will enhance our community facilities to be more inclusive of those with limited mobility.’
Hunmanby Community Centre, John Gorton, Chair
‘Hunmanby Community Centre would like to support the bid to improve access at Hunmanby Railway Station.
We are not able, due to our constitution, to support it financially but we feel that the improvements to the access for disadvantaged groups would be a real benefit to the village.
The Community Centre has level access and is level throughout the floor space. We have many groups using it who are elderly people, disabled people and people using prams and wheelchairs.
Using the rail station can be difficult for those groups mentioned above. Hence it would be a benefit to those groups as well as the increasing number of tourists who come to the historic village.
Although the village may not be seen as a tourist destination in the same way as Filey, Bridlington and Scarborough are, it has a large caravan and camping site as well as a hotel, pubs and many B&Bs which all offer accommodation.
Hence improving access would benefit a significant number of people.’
Bayley Gardens Management Committee, Sue Leyland, Chair
‘Hunmanby Bayley Gardens would like to support the bid to improve access at Hunmanby Railway Station. Improvements to the access would be a real benefit to the village and its elderly and disabled residents. Bayley Gardens itself has level access and is designed for wheelchairs. It is very well used by everyone who will sit and enjoy its quiet space. We would like to welcome train passengers who would benefit from improved station access.’
Hunmanby Wellbeing Hub and Spring Café, Joy Ossai, Manager
‘Hunmanby Wellbeing Hub alongside Spring Cafe whole heartedly support your effort to gain better level access at the station. Having worked hard with the local community and local organisations and government bodies to ensure that a disabled friendly toilet and changing facilities were installed in the cafe as well as ensuring our paths to both the cafe and church were disabled friendly, it is great news that soon our frequent users will have the option ( that all other villagers / visitors currently have) of using the train.
Giving independence and reducing social isolation are key aims of the Hub and your project dovetails perfectly with all the ongoing work and projects we as a hub are pursuing.
The Hub has the full backing of Hunmanby Parish, Scarborough Borough Council as well as North Yorkshire County Council and I am sure they will support us as we look at this essential development.’
How much will it cost?
Budget Request £3,550 (Estimated Cost £2,450 to 3,550)
Wooden Box Step (Cost £100-£200)
Dropped Kerbs: (Cost £2,000 to £3,000)
Mobility Scooter Parking Area on Platform 1 with securing post (Cost £150)
Spot Tarmac footpath Bridlington Street to the railway station £200
What, if any, third party/match funding is in place
Match Funding 30% of estimated costs
£160 from Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station
£100 from Hunmanby Parish Council
£100 from Hazelgarth Residential Home
£100 from Friends of the White Swan Public House
£100 from Hunmanby Doctors Surgery
£100 from Filey Rotary Club
£100 from Filey Lions
£100 from North Yorkshire County Councillor Roberta Swiers Locally Budget. (Enhancing scheme with £200 for spot tarmac repairs to the main footpath linking Hunmanby village to the railway station, utilising the team that would be installing 2 dropped kerbs. Total £300
Total £1,060
Delivery Plan/Timescale
The project is designed to be simple, split between rail and highway. With the level of community involvement in developing it, which has involved residents who are visually impaired, disabled, wheelchair users, and young families, the work needs to be done outside a lockdown or shielding period so that those who will benefit from the scheme can be actively involved in its design and see its development take place. This will encourage its use once completed.
Does the project require support/implement from Northern?
Yes, to implement the securing post and marked scooter parking area. It would be ideal if disabled rail users and young families from the village could be involved with the design and planning and invited to inspect the progress of the works. The kerb work and tarmac repairs would be on North Yorkshire County Council property.
Please identify any risk to the successful delivery of your project
No risk. The bid is for the top of the estimate range £3,550. The aim would be to deliver the project under budget and return underspent finance pro rata to funding organisations.
Are there any other details you would like to be considered?
Due to the high costs associated with GRIP (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) funding, the Harrington Hump has not been progressed nor 2 other higher cost projects that would further improve accessibility.
Converting the concrete drainage channels to covered ones to make it easier for disabled and partially sighted passengers on platform 1 and 2
Creating 2 blue badge parking spaces on the grassed Network Rail land on Bridlington Street by the side of the station.
By approving this low cost, innovative bid, it will improve the passenger experience for all users and continue to generate additional patronage of the village station. This in turn may help in the longer term achieve other enhancements for local residents and visitors.
Results of the Northern Accessibility Fund 2021
Unfortunately Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station's bid was not successful, but will remain on file, along with the 2019 submission for Access for All Funding through the Department for Transport.
This press release from Northern Rail gives details of the winning stations
The support from the wider community, our councillors, council offices and our Member of Parliament continues to raise the profile of platform 2 being the only barrier remaining to level access from Bridlington Street and onto the train.
Thank you for all the supporting letters and offers of match funding.
This is the reply
Thank you for your application to the Northern Accessibility Fund for your project; Making Hunmanby Railway Station better for residents and visitors, particularly mobility scooter and wheelchair users and blind travellers.
The fund was heavily oversubscribed and whilst each bid had a variety of merits, I am afraid that on this occasion your application has not been successful. This was following consideration by the awards panel, which comprised members of the Northern Accessibility User Group (NAUG).
Northern & NAUG are very grateful for the interest you have shown in the accessibility fund, and the time and effort it will have taken to compile your application. The reason that your application was not successful is that the wooden box step falls outside the current standards and therefore we were unable to consider it as part of day to day rail operations. In terms of the mobility scooter parking area, Northern expressed concerns relating to security, how this can be managed at an unstaffed station and the ongoing cost implications as well as the turning circle requirements of having such a structure on the station, for that reason we were forced to decline your application.
Once again, many thanks for engaging with us and for sharing your project ideas, Northern have copies of all the bids and if the opportunity arises for you to be considered for future investment, they will be in touch with you directly.
Yours sincerely
Professor Alan Hurst
Accessibility Fund Chair
Updated 20.10.2021