Here is the letter that Meg Kingston wrote.

Disabled Access

As a person of limited mobility, I find that I can only access one of the two platforms at Chepstow Railway Station as I am unable to use the stairs leading between the platforms.
I can catch an Eastbound train, but the only way for me to take a Westbound train (towards Cardiff) is to get on one going the opposite way, leave the train at the next station and cross the lines to catch the next one going in the right direction.
The result of this is that train journeys take considerably longer for me and that I have to book more assistance than I really need, which inconveniences train staff as well as myself.
I believe it is possible for access to be provided to the far platform and would like to see this implemented.

Hi Meg - you've just made a little bit of history.

You're the first person outside mySociety to have used FixMyTransport to gather support around a problem (as opposed to just sending a problem report as a one-off). I hope it goes well for you, and us!

Hello Meg - Myf from FixMyTransport here.

Good luck with your efforts to get non-stepped access at Chepstow station! This is just to let you know that FixMyTransport.com has now quietly turned from a beta site into a public one, so you can link to the page and gather support among friends and family if you'd like to.

Our social media buttons are now fully functional, so why not give them a go and see if you can spread the word a bit?

We'd love to know any further thoughts you have about the site, too - we're still actively making changes based on user suggestions. Just use the 'feedback' button at the top of each page.

Thanks again for being one of FixMyTransport's first users - hope it turns out to be a useful tool for you.

Its not just Chepstow its most stations

Easy yo use access to trains (including exiting) will make us more independent and less likely to ask for assistance.

a group of Leonard Cheshire Home residents ran a very good campaign to get bromley south station in London made accessible more quickly than was scheduled

http://www.campaigncentral.org.uk/access-all-areas-bromley-south

Basically all rail companies have a budget for this sort of works and you have to put pressure on them to bring your station further up the queue. this means some form of campaign and usually direct action

cheers

w

Hi Meg - here's an idea. You can upload photos to your campaign page. Why don't you snap a picture of some of the offending steps, and upload them? That way your page would look instantly more powerful.

Hi,

I've just supported you by Tweeting about this campaign - I really hope it helps. Would be interested to hear how it goes :-) Please do let me know.

Hi Meg,

I've taken the liberty of making a few comments around the web to drum up interest in your campaign:

http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?p=62794#post62794
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7274536274#!/group.php?gid=7274536274&v=wall
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=293722712983#!/group.php?gid=293722712983&v=wall

and I've emailed http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/chepstow/blog/category-annoyances-and-irritations to ask them to feature it.

I hope that at least some of this bears fruit.

Cheers,
Myf

Hi Meg,

I've been tweeting / re-tweeting about your campaign - really hope you get some more support - best wishes, Brian

Hi Meg,

I notice that Arriva don't seem to have achieved their target of replying to you within ten working days. I think this is a pretty important issue, so if you want to make sure it goes to the top of the agenda, how about contacting your local MP (http://www.WriteToThem.com) or the local paper?

Meanwhile I've also found details of Better Trains for Chepstow, who I am sure would give you masses of support.

Good luck!

Myf Nixon

Dear Ms Sutton,
certainly.

My email address is [email address]

Thank you,
Meg

-----Original Message-----

Link: [1]File-List
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30 August 2011

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Your Case Reference: ATW-110713-BFP

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Dear Ms Kingston

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Thank you for the email you have submitted to us via FixMyTransport.

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In order for us to appropriately address your enquiry I would be grateful
if you could send me your email or postal address, quoting your case
reference number.

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I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

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Yours sincerely

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Amber Sutton

Assistant Customer Relations Manager

Arriva Trains Wales

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Tel A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 0845 6061 660

E-mailA A A A A A A A A A A A A A
[email address]

WebA A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk

A References

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Just received a message from Arriva, asking for my email address. Hopefully this is a good sign.

I have just received an email from Arriva.

There's a lot of words about why they're late in replying to my query, which I can provide if anyone's interested.

The email goes on...

Quote...
I regret to advise you that there are no plans in the medium or short term for access improvements to be made at Chepstow station; however please be assured that we remain committed to improving access to our services for Older and Disabled customers and will continue to raise such issues with the relevant stakeholders.

Recognising our responsibilities to assisting all our customers with utilising rail travel we publish a guide; Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers, which provides a comprehensive list of all our stations and any access restrictions there may be. The guide also details what we will do for our customers to ensure access to trains can be provided, such as booking assistance via our Assisted Travel team.

I trust the above addresses in full the circumstances that have prompted you to contact us; however if I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to let me know.

End of Quote...

Well, at least they sent me an answer.

Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign. I hope other people's campaigns meet with more success.

Meanwhile, I will continue to travel in the wrong direction until I reach a more accessible station.

I guess this is similar to WhatDoTheyKnow originally; authorities trying to take things away from being public by asking for "real" email addresses (or physical addresses).

Similarly, it probably would be good to have some redaction on personal info entered here too.

Yes, it is a shame that Arriva feel unable to engage with the site in the way that it's intended.

It's even more of a shame, Meg, that they can't offer a better solution for your problem. Apart from that, I'm not sure how you feel about being an "Older and Disabled customer" - not sure I would like this term myself!

But that's a different issue. Let's hope the press pick up on this a bit more and give it the publicity it deserves, because your situation is almost farcical in its outrageousness.

I will be contacting the local papers - hopefully tomorrow. They put the story on the front page when it was merely a comment on the lack of accessibility and got lots of mail as a result. I think they'll enjoy getting their teeth into it again.

I will keep everyone posted.

Thanks again for the support, you're all wonderful!

Good luck Meg!
Do feel free to point the press towards this page.

Hi Meg,

Did the local papers give you any coverage? I was going to mention you on the radio the other day, but I ran out of time :(

Tom

Hi Tom,

we've already been on the front cover of the Free Press - more to come. watch this space!

Meg