Disabled rail passengers in Kingston could be facing a seven-year wait to use two of the busiest stations in the borough, despite the Government granting money to improve access at the sites earlier this month.
New Malden and Worcester Park stations have been granted a slice of £370million from the Department for Transport, rumoured to be over £1million, to make the platforms step-free, but upgrades are not scheduled for completion until 2012 at the earliest.
Ann Macfarlane, vice-president of the disability charity Kingston Centre for Independent Living, said she was currently unable to use either station because of her wheelchair and said speed was of the essence.
She said: "It's important that the sooner before 2015 this can be put into place the better, as it means we might be able to go to work, meet our friends and do all the things that people expect to be able to do.
"The design will need looking at because a lot of stations are being made step-free so you can get on to the platform but not necessarily on to the train, so you can go and wave someone off but can't actually travel.
"It's a real inconvenience at the moment because you have to think very carefully in advance about planning your route."
The money was successfully bid for by station owner South West Trains and will also be used to provide facilities such as hearing induction loops, passenger information screens and improved lighting.
A spokesman said: "It's not ideal - it's a long time but we realise that it can't happen overnight and it's something that is worth doing properly.
"Lots of stations were built years ago, when the needs of disabled people weren't thought about so much in society, but it's time to bring these stations into the 21st century."
Source: Wimbledon Guardian
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