Network Rail has this week come under attack for building a new footbridge at Highbridge Railway Station without introducing access for disabled and elderly travellers.
The old concrete footbridge was removed on Sunday (December 1st), as we featured here, as part of a Network Rail modernisation project.
However, local resident Terry Temlett, right, says he is angry that no provision for acccess ramps has been made.
He told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I feel aggrieved that a ludicrous amount of money has been spent on building this new bridge without accessibility being improved.”
“This is a big opportunity to have missed. It’s very unusual not to have ramped access on footbridges these days.”
“Back in April, I spoke to the contractors who told me there was no room for access ramps at this station. I took this up with the Town Council and our MP to ask them to push for a re-think, but I never got a satisfactory response.”
“While installing a lift is not possible at Highbridge, I feel there’s definitely enough room for access ramps for the elderly and wheelchair users, who currently have to take a long detour out of the station and over the road bridge to cross the tracks. I fear we’ll now be stuck with this footbridge for the next 100 years.”
Users of the new footbridge will have to walk over because there are no ramps
The old footbridge over the tracks, seen here, was removed on Sunday
The old bridge was removed on Sunday – see photos of the whole operation here
