Passengers 'let down' by delays to upgrades at Luton and Leagrave railway stations says MP

Passengers are being let down by delays to desperately-needed upgrades to Leagrave and Luton railway stations, MP Sarah Owen has told rail bosses.

Speaking during a session of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), she highlighted how people with mobility requirements were being let down – and pointed out that upgrades to the two stations still haven’t begun despite bids for funding being placed 18 months ago.

The MP is a long-time campaigner for better access, and in 2021 started a petition calling for action.

While the Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced schemes aimed at disabled customers, such as reduced ticket prices for wheelchair users and pay-as-you-go options for mobile phones, disability charity Scope pointed out that the initiatives are not serving their intended audience – with the discounted tickets only available at ticket offices, while figures show under half of disabled people own a smartphone.

Ms Owen also raised again that without lift access to all platforms at Leagrave and Luton stations, disabled customers often cannot board their train, even if they have managed to navigate the challenges of purchasing a ticket.

Conrad Bailey, Director General of Public Transport at the DfT, pointed to a new accessible infrastructure consultation with rail users soon to begin.

He said: “They will be getting the opportunity to feed in not only in terms of the infrastructure requirements but also the other requirements they may well have so we can make sure we're using the available funding as effectively as we can.”

But Ms Owen said more consultations were not likely to be welcomed when “this is an issue that the Government have known about for a very long time”.

She added: “Out of the three stations in Luton, only one of them - Luton Airport Parkway - has step-free access. Luton station has been given Access for All funding, but no work has started, despite our bid being accepted in 2022 and the tireless campaigning of Rachel Hopkins MP.

“Leagrave station sees nearly 2 million journeys a year, but its footbridge is held up by scaffolding as it is rusting away. There is a disabled toilet, which rarely works, but it doesn’t matter because disabled people can’t use the train station anyway.

“I’ve managed to pull together, Network Rail, Govia Thameslink, Bedfordshire Rail Access Group, Luton Council and local residents to support a bid to get lifts at Leagrave. Money has been put into a feasibility study, but years later, we’re still waiting for an answer from this Government.

“Disabled passengers, parents with prams and people with luggage all deserve better than delay after delay.”

Andrew Haines, Chief Executive, Network Rail admitted that there had been shortcomings, including making “vague promises without really understanding the scope” and not being “good enough” at driving small schemes.

He added: “The fact the Luton station one is by the A6 means it's more expensive but when we allocated the funding we didn't recognise that because you're building in a tight constrained area it's going to cost more so then we find the money hasn't gone as far as we promised to people.”