Anger over

station gap

Planned improvements to Saltash Station estimated to cost over half-a-million pounds will still fail to provide access to trains for the disabled, the elderly or mothers with buggies.

The project, expected to be jointly funded by town, district and county councils, the Strategic Rail Authority and, it is hoped, Objective One, will involve refurbishments to the station and platform - including 'Welcome to Cornwall' signs, but will not rectify the gap between the platform and the train carriage floor.

Former Mayor of Saltash, Paul Adams, said, 'As a wheelchair user I was advised by Railtrack that to access the train I would have to go to Plymouth. I find it totally appalling that the largest town in South East Cornwall cannot construct a transport plan to amend the situation.'

Platform

The platform, which is the lowest in Cornwall, is at a different height to the floor of any train carriage and this, combined with the camber before the platform, forms an insurmountable gap.

Corporate Communications Officer for Railtrack, Deborah Fine, explained why nothing has been done so far: 'We do understand the concerns and frustrations to passengers but the rectifying of the platform does depend on funding from either the SRA or local authorities.'

Manager of Public Affairs at SRA, Gavin Bustock, said on Wednesday that there were 'no immediate plans to work on the problem of stepping distance at Saltash Station,' and the SRA could not commit to the work at all.

A38 work to

last 12 weeks

BUMPER to bumper traffic generated by the surge in tourism to South East Cornwall, will be further aggravated from Tuesday next, April 2, immediately after the Easter break.

Resurfacing works over a four km stretch on the A38 Liskeard bypass between Trethawle Railway Bridge to the east, and Moorswater to the west, with a 40 - 30mph speed limit, is set to last for 12 weeks, ending on June 24.

Resurfacing work on the A30 eastbound carriageway between Bolventor and Temple on Bodmin Moor will be suspended over Easter and will resume until completion on May 5.