Station access

SIR — I am submitting this letter for a friend who lives outside the district. Just before Christmas he and his wife were going to visit their son and grandsons in London. They travelled from St Albans City Station. I was surprised when he told me that th

SIR - I am submitting this letter for a friend who lives outside the district. Just before Christmas he and his wife were going to visit their son and grandsons in London. They travelled from St Albans City Station. I was surprised when he told me that the line to London did not go from platform one as I remembered, but they had to go across the bridge to the middle platforms. He in the past has had replacement knees and problems with his arms and shoulders. They were taking Christmas presents to with them and the case was heavy, and they had to struggle up the stairs with it and across and down.

When the station was refurbished was nothing taken into consideration in the respect of elderly and disabled people? How can one in a wheelchair or on sticks be expected to get to the middle platforms? With the cutbacks on staffing levels, are porters another position that has vanished? Could not a moving walkway have been added up the stairs across and down for the use of the elderly and disabled?

Since the nationalisation of the railways I think that Network Rail own the stations. Surely the monies gleaned from the carriers could pay for this and fares which people pay these days should cover the cost. The railways are an essential part for all ages to visit London. When you get into London you have the benefits of escalators and then it is easy to get about, but it's this end where the trouble starts.

Come on Network Rail, there's a Charity called Help the Aged. What about you following.

TONY HAWKES,

Ladies Grove, St Albans.

# Editor's note: Work on installing lifts at St Albans City Station is due to begin this month and should be completed by the autumn.