Ludlow station’s new lift opens and will transform access for passengers

Members of the community joined MP Stuart Anderson to mark the official opening of Ludlow station’s new lift last Friday.

The completed scheme makes the station – which is run by Transport for Wales (TfW) - much easier to use for passengers, especially those who are wheelchair users, have limited mobility, or are travelling with luggage, bicycles, and pushchairs.

The new lift has been installed next to the existing footbridge on platform 1 to help passengers make their connections to stations south of Ludlow, such as Hereford.

The new lift is funded by the Department for Transport as part of the UK Government's Access for All programme which was launched in 2006 to address the challenges faced by disabled passengers and those with mobility issues when using railway stations. Ludlow station was selected along with Cwmbran, Tenby, Newtown, Abergavenny, Llanelli and Flint.

Making stations accessible to everyone benefits the economy by reducing car travel, which lowers traffic and cuts carbon emissions.

Rachel Heath, Network Rail Wales and Borders operations director, said: “We're thrilled to share the exciting news about Ludlow joining our growing collection of step-free stations as part of the Access for All programme.

“It’s essential for us to make our railway as welcoming and accessible as possible, encouraging even more people to choose the railway for their sustainable travel journeys. Improving the convenience and accessibility of our stations is really at the heart of this effort.

"I want to thank the local community for their patience while we carried out these important upgrades.”

Stuart Anderson, MP for South Shropshire, added: “ It was a pleasure to mark the official opening of the lift at Ludlow station, and it’s even more fitting as I’m currently on crutches.

“I think accessibility is part of people's everyday life - if you don't consider it, you're basically saying 'you cannot travel this way'."

Robert Gravelle, on behalf of the TfW Accessibility and Inclusion panel, said: “TfW are unwaveringly committed to accessibility and inclusion, and the significance of the Ludlow improvements are a clear illustration.

“It has been long recognised that upon fruition, the provision of an Access for All scheme would have generational benefits to Ludlow and its surrounding area. It's inspiring to see that so many have come together in this shared aspiration to make rail transport easier and unrestricted for all.”

During the project, parts of the road and footpath had to be closed to keep the public and workers safe. The station remained open throughout as the teams used Saturday night closures to complete the work close to the railway.