Disabled passengers face long wait

Disabled rail passengers in Kingston could be facing a seven-year wait to use two of the busiest stations in the borough, despite the Government granting money to improve access at the sites earlier this month.

New Malden and Worcester Park stations have been granted a slice of £370million from the Department for Transport, rumoured to be over £1million, to make the platforms step-free, but upgrades are not scheduled for completion until 2012 at the earliest.

An 18-month feasibility study will take place at the stations to determine what changes are required to allow less mobile rail passengers such as wheelchair users, older people and parents with pushchairs better access to the platforms.

17:03, 22 Feb 2008 by Matthew Rees