Rugeley T.V. Station Accessibility?

[Chrius56000]

. . .Does anybody know if there's any plan to make Rugeley T.V. Station fully accessible?

. . .This connects with the Chase Line locals from Walsall/Birmingham and I find the footbridge there particularly difficult because of arthritis/gout problems!

 

[SCDR_WMR]

It's simply not feasible. The island platform cannot fit a lift due to being rather tight in width and length.

There are 3 ways they could achieve step-free access but all require substantial work for a fairly underused station.
1. Re-route the Chase line track from the bend all the way to the junction so that the platform could be widened to support installation of a lift.
2. Install switchback ramps where the current stairs are, bridge would have to be relocated. Would increase transit times for all passengers as not possible to have both stairs and ramps.
3. Remove stairs and create a ramped underpass. Would need to extend the island platform and re-route the track to fit. Would require multiple, extensive blocks of the WCML to install.

And that's before we look at the cost of any of those ideas.

 

[childwallblues]

Totally agree with Cirius6000 post. The Chase Line stations have in my opinion pretty poor access.

 

[ambi23]

Another reason to extend services to Stafford once again imo. Plus there's a lack of ticketing options available that restricts you to taking the longer detour into Birmingham if you intend to travel North, which doesn't help. Though I have to say, if there's two of you then getting an Uber to Stafford Station is similarly priced to the cost of getting there (2 x singles both way) by train if you don't intend to travel back the same day.

 

[WestCountry]

It looks to me as though there'd be space for a lift shaft north of the current platform end, 'behind' the current footbridge.

The stairs would have to be moved and/or a fence erected on the platform edge to allow passengers to pass the stairs safely.

It would be expensive and in my experience (off-peak, admittedly) there are rarely more than a handful of people changing trains.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

It looks to me as though there'd be space for a lift shaft north of the current platform end, 'behind' the current footbridge.

The stairs would have to be moved and/or a fence erected on the platform edge to allow passengers to pass the stairs safely.

It would be expensive and in my experience (off-peak, admittedly) there are rarely more than a handful of people changing trains.

Very limited space alongside the stairs that you would need to pass to get to the lift though. Not sure it would be allowed, even with railings.

 

[ABB125]

I suppose you could fiddle with the track slightly so that the Chase line platform has buffer stops installed and the few trains (if any? Presumably all non-passenger) that run through onto the Trent Valley use the adjacent loop. This then gives you a load of space (and, importantly, width) beyond the new buffer stops that you could use for a lift etc

 

[ambi23]

I'm struggling with this one. Even building a seperate lift shaft at the south east side of the platform seems unfeasible. The idea of extending platforms north east and creating more room for a shaft here is expensive given the amount of people using the station. If either of the adjacent industrial estates weren't there, then there would be a good opportunity to convert into a decent sized parkway station to justify a proper rebuild.

 

[The Planner]

I suppose you could fiddle with the track slightly so that the Chase line platform has buffer stops installed and the few trains (if any? Presumably all non-passenger) that run through onto the Trent Valley use the adjacent loop. This then gives you a load of space (and, importantly, with) beyond the new buffer stops that you could use for a lift etc

The adjacent loop is gone. The only way you could probably do this is a new bridge at the south end.