Agenda item

Motion – The improvement of facilities at Barking Station for elderly and disabled people.

Moved by Councillor Rai and seconded by Councillor Geddes:

“There are insufficient facilities for elderly and disabled people at Barking Station. Although there is one lift leading to one platform, to access the other platforms is a very long and uphill struggle for passengers with luggage.  Barking & Dagenham Council is asked to start a dialogue with Transport for London and British Rail to install escalators at all platforms at the Barking Station as soon as possible.”

In seconding the motion Councillor Geddes stated that it was very poor indeed for such a busy station to be neglected for as long as it has.  It is not step free and suffers from congestion.  He noted that there was a problem with a delay to the C2C contract but hoped Assembly would support the motion.

In accordance with the provisions of the Council Constitution, the Chair exercised his discretion in allowing Councillor Tarry to move the following amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Hussain:

“Barking Station is the busiest transport hub in our Borough, served by C2C, London Overground, and two tube line services. Despite this, there are significant accessibility issues for older and disabled people – particularly wheelchair users, and families with pushchairs at Barking Station. Although there is one lift leading to one platform, to access the other platforms is a very long and uphill struggle for these passengers. 

Barking and Dagenham Council is asked to start a dialogue with C2C (National Express), and Transport for London to install step-free access at all platforms at Barking Station as soon as possible. This is in the context of year-on-year fares rises (again, in January 2012 these will average 6.2%), which hit the passengers of Barking and Dagenham hard financially.

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council is, therefore, called upon to work with key community stakeholders including every-day commuters, disabled travel rights campaigners Transport for All, London Assembly Members, MPs, and community transport campaigners Together for Transport, to mount a sustained campaign to install more step-free access at Barking Station and to oppose the planned Government and TfL fares increases.”

In moving the amendment Councillor Tarry stated that he supported Councillor Rai's motion but felt that this amendment tightened the motion.

Members spoke in support of both the motion and the amendment.

Councillor McCarthy noted Councillor Rai's membership of the Public Transport Liaison Group.  He referred to the visit in the recent past of the then Transport Secretary to Barking Station and advised Assembly that a master plan was in place.  However, it had been delayed because of the West Coast Line issues and the Coalition Government's transport policy.  He stated that C2C was responsible for the station but considered that its franchise should have been removed, and whoever took over the franchise must put in the capital required. 

Councillor McCarthy, as Ward Member for Eastbrook where Dagenham East Station is situated, said that as well as concentrating on Barking Station we must also address access issues for all the stations in the borough.

Councillor Waker concurred with Councillor McCarthy in that disabled people were unable to access Dagenham East Station and that this Council should push for improvements at other stations too.

Councillor Carpenter noted the difficulty in struggling with a suitcase up the stairs at Barking Station.

Councillor Letchford stated that he had used Barking Station for his journey to and from work and had always been concerned at the congestion on the stairs.

Councillor Hussain as Ward Member for Abbey Ward confirmed his support for Councillor Tarry's amendment, adding how difficult it was for mothers carrying pushchairs and prams to access the station.

Councillor Saeed strongly supported the motion and concurred with Councillor McCarthy's comments.

Councillor R Gill supported everything that Members had said and commended the work that had been done by Councillor McCarthy.  He referred to the wider issues of neglect around London as a whole and spoke of having West Ham United, a premiership football club, nearby and Dagenham and Redbridge FC in the borough but that there is no direct rail link to Stratford.

In response, Councillor Rai thanked the Chair and said that having seen the wording for the amendment to the motion and having listened to the debate, that he personally supported the proposed amendment as moved by Councillor Tarry as it added clarity to the original motion.  He further thanked Members for their support.

The amendment was put to the vote and was unanimously agreed, thus becoming the substantive motion, which was then put to the vote and also agreed.