I am delighted to share with my constituents that following a meeting between Network Rail, East Midlands Trains, Derbyshire County Council and Alfreton Town Council yesterday, it has been agreed that the likely disabled access to be installed at Alfreton train station will be a lift with stairs alongside.
A number of my constituents have contacted me about the current situation at Alfreton train station, which requires disabled passengers using Alfreton station to get on a train and change at Nottingham or Chesterfield, due to the lack of suitable disabled access. I am glad that we can expect a lift to be installed in October next year thanks to additional funding from the Department for Transport.
Disabled access at this station is long awaited, and I welcome the installation of a lift, which has only been made possible by additional funding from the Department of Transport. I have spoken to the Secretary of State, Patrick McLoughlin MP, about this issue a number of times and I have invited him to the train station see the current situation for himself. I am pleased that the Secretary of State has supported my campaign with this additional funding to provide this long awaited solution.
There will be surveys sent out to residents in due course and I am told that a public exhibition will be held in July with the design phase ending in October. The current anticipated completion deadline is October 2016.
This is absolutely fantastic news and I have been campaigning on this issue since I was elected. I welcome the move for my constituents who will benefit from improved access late next year.