I have been campaigning hard to help secure improved access and parking at two train stations in my constituency. I have raised these issues with TransPennine Express and intervened to facilitate negotations with local landowners. I have also spoken to ministers about an application for funding by TransPennine Express and North Yorkshire County Council to install a lift and better stairs at Thirsk station to make it easier for passengers to access both platforms. The lack of parking at Thirsk and Malton is a deterrent to commuters who might consider travelling by rail and a brake on the local economy. Plans to create extra car parking spaces at both Thirsk and Malton stations are also underway. I have received a number of letters from local residents frustrated at the lack of parking availability and I expect a positive announcement about additional spaces and the provision of electric car charging points soon.
The disabled access at Thirsk is also dreadful, at the moment people have to use the existing old and well-worn stairs to reach the far platform and wheelchair users have to use the crossing directly over the railway line, a traumatic experience when you have trains travelling on this line at over 100 miles per hour. This is clearly very difficult for the elderly, disabled or people with pushchairs or heavy suitcases and a solution is much needed. A decision on funding, which would come from the Department of Transport’s special Access for All programme, is expected later this month or in early May.
I welcome the news that funding for a new ticket office and toilet facilities at Malton station has been announced recently and that TransPennine Express is currently at the design stage and delivery is expected by March 2021 or earlier.
Graham Meiklejohn, Regional Development Manager for TransPennine Express, said: “We are progressing with plans for a waiting room and toilet at Malton and hope to secure additional car parking soon at Thirsk and Malton involving third parties. Access to the platforms at Thirsk needs to be improved and we have made a strong bid to the Department for Transport’s Access for All fund for funding to enable this, with important support from Kevin Hollinrake MP, Grand Central and North Yorkshire County Council. We hope to learn of a positive result from this bid soon. On the tracks, we will be introducing our new five carriage Nova 3 trains over the coming months, initially on services for Malton and then on services for Thirsk. These new longer trains will result in a significant increase in seating capacity.”
