A LEADING Ledbury town councillor has raised serious concerns over the problems mums with pushchairs and people with wheelchairs have, when trying to get to the eastbound platform at the train station.

To go east at Ledbury at present, mums with buggies and disabled people in wheelchairs must either travel up to Hereford station, adding to their travel costs, or risk crossing the track at Ledbury, which is both dangerous and illegal.

Cllr Liz Harvey, who is also a county councillor, has drafted a town council response to Herefordshire Council's local transport plan, 2016-2031, as part of the consultation process.

The plan will be a blueprint for transport in the county in the years to come.

But Cllr Harvey believes the access problem at Ledbury train station is "a dangerous situation that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency".

In her response, she said: "Specific to Ledbury's rail connection, it is not acceptable for there to be no safe means by which pushchairs, wheelchairs and disabled buggies can access the eastbound platform."

The eastbound platform is or trains to Malvern,Worcester and Birmingham.

Cllr Harvey added: "Presently, travellers are advised to travel to Hereford and travel east from there.

"Of course, some people choose to cross the track dangerously at Ledbury rather than take this course of action. This dangerous situation needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency."

Cllr Harvey is not alone in calling for better access and improvements at Ledbury train station.

As far back as February 2014, Cllr Tony Bradford was calling for improvements there, after local mums writing on Facebook complained about having to travel to Hereford with buggies, in order to travel east, back through Ledbury.

Speaking this week, Cllr Bradford stated again that the current access at the station was "a ridiculous situation".

He added: "I am not an engineer, but it needs changing; however, what can they do? We do have a bridge, but that poses problems for elderly and mums with buggies. They can't access it. Perhaps a lift can be installed?

"We need an engineer down to look at the station, and the quicker the better."

Herefordshire Council is considering more car parking at the station, and this has been welcome in her response by Cllr Harvey, on behalf of the town council.

She said: "The town council welcomes recognition in these strategic documents for the need for greater parking provision for the station in Ledbury, and the council looks forward options to realise this improvement in facilities, along with the provision of safe pedestrian and disabled access to the eastbound line."

The town council plans to discuss these issues with council officers "at the earliest convenience".