The SNP have been told they must rethink access plans for Waverley Station in a Scottish Parliament debate today.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs led a debate on reinstating pick up/drop off arrangements within Edinburgh’s largest station to help blind and disabled passengers get better access.
Network Rail recently announced plans to base a taxi rank in New Street car park, but the idea has been criticised for still not being close enough for those with disabilities.
With several members of the Edinburgh Access Panel and representatives of the RNIB in the public gallery to watch the debate, Miles argued that as a strategic national transport hub, Waverley should be made accessible for all travellers.
As such he urged rail bosses to work with the Edinburgh Access Panel and other stakeholders and look at additional and improved drop off and pick up arrangements.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said:
“All of can us can agree that blind, disabled, infirm and elderly residents should have the same access to transport services as everyone else.
“Sadly, since taxi ranks were removed from Waverley Station in 2014, many of these people feel they have become second class citizens when it comes to accessing Waverley Station.
“While a new pick-up and drop-off area at New Street is an improvement, it is still considerably further away than previous arrangements and so there will still be real challenges for disabled passengers trying to access the station.
“The Scottish Government should have been doing far more to ensure Waverley is made truly accessible for all travellers. Waverley is after all a strategic national transport hub, a gateway to Scotland and one of the busiest stations in the whole country.
“The responsibility for ensuring equality of access to transport services ultimately lies with the Scottish Government and the Transport Minister, and they need to urgently rethink the current access plans.”
Miles has also run a petition calling for better access to Waverley, which can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/TaxiPetition