Luton MP's petition calls for access for all at Leagrave station

A Luton MP has set up a petition to call for action to make Leagrave train station accessible for all.

The station is classed as “semi accessible” which means it is only accessible for those that use platforms 1 and 4. Currently people who use wheelchairs or have push chairs cannot easily use all the platforms.

Last Friday, Sarah Owen, MP for Luton North, organised a meeting at the station for Thameslink, Network Rail, Luton Borough Council, rail users and Bedfordshire Rail Access Network to discuss the need for lifts for Leagrave.

She said: "Anyone who has used or tried to use Leagrave station knows that it’s inaccessible for people with mobility issues, disabilities or people with pushchairs.

"It’s simply not good enough that two out of the three stations in Luton aren’t useable for everyone and while Luton station has been promised funding already, the same can’t be said of Leagrave. Pre-pandemic, around 1.8 million journeys were made from Leagrave station and I know more people would use it if it was made fully accessible for everyone.

"We know the process of applying for funding to upgrade railway stations is a complex and long process. It starts with showing there is genuine public support to make our station accessible - so I’m encouraging everyone to sign and share our petition, we can do this together: https://sarahowen.org.uk/lifts-for-leagrave."

Her petition states: 'This petition is a call for full accessibility at Leagrave station with the demand to install wheelchair ramps and lifts for access to ALL platforms. We believe the current operators of Leagrave Station are in breach of the Railways Act 1993, Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010, the lack of accessibility to Leagrave Station is a clear discrimination against the protected characteristics; disability, pregnancy and maternity (see Accessible Travel Policy – Guidance for Train and Station Operators 2019'.