McINNES WELCOMES DYCE STATION UPGRADE
December 29, 2011 1:48 PM
North East MSP Alison McInnes today welcomed the announcement that Dyce Station is to receive funding to improve access for all passengers.
The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP last month appealed to the Scottish Government to improve access for disabled passengers at Dyce Station, urging the Transport Minister to give Dyce a share of £41 million of funding that has been set aside to improve access at stations for disabled passengers.
Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP had accepted points Mrs McInnes made about the increase in passengers, the importance of the link to Aberdeen Airport and the difficulties wheelchair users have switching platforms.
He told Mrs McInnes that these points "strengthened the case for future investment" at the station.
Today the Minister announced that Dyce Railway Station will be included within the latest phase of the Access for All programme to make the station step-free.
Welcoming the news, Mrs McInnes said: I am pleased that the Transport Minister has recognised that there is a problem and that he has asked Network Rail to carry out a detailed study with a view to completing the upgrade by March 2014.
"The facilities at Dyce are no longer fit for purpose and fail to reflect the fact that 580,000 journeys are made from the station each year. It is the second busiest unmanned station in Scotland.
"With two platforms currently only linked by a footbridge, disabled people, parents with pushchairs and passengers with heavy luggage all face almost a mile detour if they need to get to the other side of the station and they cannot climb the stairs.
Mrs McInnes added: "Other unmanned stations in the country boast significantly better infrastructure and full disabled access. The fact that Dyce Station is unmanned means that staff are usually not even available to assist passengers who are experiencing difficulties."
The Minister told local MSPs that Dyce station was selected for its regional significance, high footfall and links to Aberdeen Airport.
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