188体育

Improving access to Great Britain鈥檚 railway stations is a key priority for this government. I am therefore pleased to announce today a further 拢37.5 million of 鈥榤id-tier鈥� Access for All funding for projects requiring up to 拢1 million of government support.

This forms part of the wider 拢370 million Access for All programme launched in 2006 which will deliver an accessible, step free route at 148 key stations. Rail passengers will benefit from better access through the provision of new lifts, ramps, raised 鈥榚asier access humps鈥� on platforms as well as new accessible toilets.

Major improvements will take place at stations across the country including at London Paddington, St. Austell, Stratford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Ystrad Mynach. Network Rail will also receive funding to add tactile edge paving at 27 stations and 拢5 million to provide 鈥榚asy access humps鈥� to reduce the stepping distance between the platform and the train. The full list of successful stations will be made available on the Department for Transport鈥檚 website.

All work at the stations will be completed by March 2014. We are also taking the opportunity to increase the funding allocated to train operating companies. This funding will increase from 拢5 million a year to 拢7 million a year for the next three years, beginning in April 2012. It is based on the number of stations that they manage and is used to deliver smaller scale or more locally focused access improvements at stations.

Finally, I have agreed to release 拢57 million from the existing budget earlier than planned to allow the accelerated delivery of obstacle free routes at 27 stations.

• Passengers to benefit from access improvements at stations, 6 December 2011
• Access for all mid-tier funding - 2011 successful bids