Fight for access at station

The 37 steps that may break disability law

By Kate Shannon

kate.shannon@fifetoday.co. uk

 A BURNTISLAND man who relies on a mobility scooter is calling on railway bosses to sort out wheel­chair access at the town's station.

James Page, who has Multiple Sclerosis, has been campaigning for years for First ScotRail to take action on the 37 steps which pre­vent disabled passengers from getting on or off the northbound platform.

And he believes news of the refurbished waiting room at the station, complete with "step-free access and automatic doors" adds insult to injury.

Mr Page, who is a member of Fife Independent Disability Network, said: "Having read that the waiting room on the north­bound platform at Burntisland station has been re-opened with "step-free access", I went along to investigate and discovered that there are still a rninimum of 37 steps, and was told that the auto­matic door is still manually oper­ated only.

"When can those of us who use wheeled mobility aids expect to be able to use this facility? I would point out that under the Disability Discrimination Act any facility that is denied to a person on grounds of disability is illegal.

"How can it have disabled access if it still has these steps which means disabled people can-not get down to the waiting room?"

It just doesn't make sense not to have
disabled access at Burntisland

James Page

He believes the whole situation at Burntisland station is ridicu­lous.

If Mr Page travels to Edinburgh, on his return journey he has to get off the train at Aberdour and then get a bus to his house, and on some journeys he has to go all the way to Kirkcaldy and then home in a taxi.

First ScotRail has told Mr Page in the past they will provide a taxi for him but this is only applicable at stations frequented by taxis equipped to deal with disabled passengers, which Burntisland is not.

He added: "It just doesn't make sense not to have disabled access at Burntisland.

"They are also losing business because people like me would use this service because we have the time."

Mr Page has been in touch with First ScotRail about this subject but he has been highlighting this issue for a number of years and is considering taking legal advice in regards the Disability Discrimination Act.

Back in 2003 he carried out a survey of premises in Burntisland to see how suitable they were for disabled access, one of which was Burntisland station.

Even then he highlighted the issue of there being no alternative to 37 steps on platform two.

A First ScotRail spokesman said the company will be liaising directly with Mr Page following his recent correspondence with them.

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