We want to make rail travel in the West of England accessible to everyone. Our stations need to be easy, safe and convenient to use for all. But with some stations dating back to Victorian times, it’s not always the case across the region.

We know right now that some stations are not accessible for people with disabilities or reduced mobility.

In partnership with GWR and Network Rail, we’re reviewing how easy it is for people to access railway station, in order to identify improvements which would have the biggest impact and make it easier to travel.

illustration of Lawrence Hill station after lift installed

Progress is already being made

Work has begun at Lawrence Hill station in Bristol with plans for a new lift to be installed on the platform that is currently only accessible by steps. This means the station will be step-free by March 2027.  Alongside the new lift, the scheme will deliver replacement stairs, improved CCTV coverage, and other station enhancements designed to improve the passenger experience.

But we know more work is needed on these older stations. We’ve previously heard from people about issues at other stations such as Parson Street and Nailsea & Backwell, where there is step-only access, and Stapleton Road, Bedminster and Yate, which all have long, steep ramps to platforms. 

We recognise that accessibility impacts a range of people in different ways, whether you use the train regularly or only occasionally. Following a public survey in October 2025 and a series of workshops between November and December 2025, we assessed the accessibility of every railway station across the West of England, identifying issues that present challenges for users. This work helped identify nine priority stations where accessibility improvements could have the greatest benefit.

We are now undertaking feasibility work to explore opportunities to improve accessibility at the following nine stations, helping to create a more inclusive rail network for everyone:

FAQs

The Mayoral Combined Authority has recently reviewed all stations across the West of England. We’ve already heard from people about the challenges at Parson Street station, which has platforms accessible only by steps. We also know Stapleton Road, Bedminster and Yate stations pose issues as they all have long, steep ramps leading to platforms.

Plans to install a lift at Lawrence Hill to make it accessible to everyone were approved by Bristol City Council in October 2025, and following completion the station will be step-free by 2027. The scheme will see a lift installed on platform 2 (the southbound platform heading towards Bristol Temple Meads) which currently only has steps. Platform 1 currently has step-free access through Lidl car park. Whilst the lift is being installed, the steps on platform 2 will be demolished and a temporary footbridge from platform 1 will be installed.

Applying for funding to pay for accessibility improvements at stations can be complicated and highly competitive. It’s often nationally funded through programmes such as the Department for Transport's 'Access for All' programme. Working with our rail industry partners such as GWR and Network Rail, we plan to take a new approach to plan and co-ordinate improvements regionally, including seeking funding from multiple sources for future improvements.

Passenger Assistance

This project does not cover Passenger Assistance. Passenger Assist is a national system used by all train companies, which allows them to make the necessary arrangements for someone’s journey. If you need further information, or to book assistance, please contact GWR directly.

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