Valerie Vaz MP meets with representatives of Network Rail, WMCA and presented a petition in Parliament on Bescot Stadium Station

I am meeting with Network Rail Central Route Director Denise Wetton, and representatives from the West Midlands Combined Authority together with campaigners from Walsall FC Trust on Friday 3 November at 1:30 pm at Bescot Stadium Station to discuss disabled access to enable people to access the Station.

I presented a petition in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 24 October 2023, calling on the House to urge the Government to recognise the need for lifts at Bescot Stadium Station to make it accessible and to work with the appropriate body such as Network Rail, and this was signed by 474 people.

This has been a long-running campaign which became more urgent because a wheelchair-bound fan had to travel into Walsall town centre and back to Bescot Stadium Station to access the football ground.

The issue of access to Bescot Stadium affects many of my constituents, including supporters of Walsall FC and Aston Villa Women FC, who use this station to visit the Saddlers for matches and visitors to the market on Sundays and to the Town Centre.

I hope Network Rail and the Mayor’s office will fulfil their obligations under Section 29 of the Equality Act 2010 which states that service providers have a legal obligation not to discriminate against people on the basis of a protected characteristic and ensure Bescot Stadium Station is accessible for people with prams and people with disabilities.

This requires a simple lift on either side of the footbridge and a footpath to the Station car park.