Cllr Nicola Turner, Margaret Martin and Pam Etheridge at the station steps with the petition

A petition launched to force Network Rail to replace steps at Marsden Train Station after a resident fell seriously inuring herself in November 2009 has now been signed by 917 people – a quarter of Marsden’s adult population.

Pam Etheridge, Margaret Martin, Pam’s husband Dick and I are to travel to London to present the petition to Lib Dem Minister Norman Baker, Under Secretary for the Department of Transport. 

Despite several attempts, Network Rail has not expressed a serious interest in receiving the petition leaving the councillor and residents with the only choice of taking their battle to Westminster and the Government Minister.

“Pam, Dick and I have been trying to get improvements made to the steps at Marsden Train Station since her accident.  Network Rail has been hugely unhelpful but we are not being fobbed off.  We have concerns about the height of the balustrade rail and the condition of 13 of the steps, which are all permanently bent from regular passenger traffic passing over them.  We also believe that the steps are fabricated from a steel section that is not actually fit for purpose owing to flawed specification.  Moreover, the steps which serve two of the platforms are neither suitable for the disabled, nor people travelling with buggies; this is just not acceptable.  There have been further accidents in May and June this year involving the steps and we want Norman’s help in getting Network Rail to make the changes that are needed so that everyone can use the station safely whilst going about their everyday business.”