MONMOUTHSHIRE MP Catherine Fookes has shared a video alongside a local Chepstow resident highlighting the difficulties disabled passengers face when travelling from Chepstow Station to Newport due to the lack of step-free access.

There is currently no step-free access between platforms at Chepstow Station, passengers with mobility issues travelling west towards Newport are unable to simply cross the station.

Instead, Catherine and the resident were forced to travel east into England to Lydney Station, where step-free access is available, before changing trains and travelling back through Chepstow and onwards to Newport.

The journey, which can normally take as little as 17 minutes, took more than an hour to complete and involved additional travel costs.

The video forms part of Catherine’s ongoing campaign calling on Network Rail to fund step free access at Chepstow Station through the UK Government’s Access for All programme.

Catherine Fookes MP said: “It is completely unacceptable that disabled passengers in Chepstow still cannot travel towards Newport directly for their local station.

“What should have been a simple 17-minute journey ended up taking more than an hour, requiring us to travel into England first before coming back into Wales. It’s ridiculous and totally unfair.

“Nobody should have to go through this just to make a basic train journey.”

Catherine has previously launched a public petition calling for step-free access at Chepstow Station and is urging residents to email Network Rail directly to raise the issue. Catherine continues to work with Monmouthshire County Council and local campaigners to press for improvements at the station.

Residents can support the campaign by signing the petition at: Catherine has previously launched a public petition calling for step- free access at Chepstow Station and is urging residents to email Network Rail directly to raise the issue. She continues to work with Monmouthshire County Council and local campaigners to press for improvements at the station.

Residents can support the campaign by signing the petition at:

catherinefookes.com/chepstow-train-station-petition