The Department for Transport operates an Access for All scheme and I would be grateful for the following information;
A. Brief details of any applications to the scheme your council has made – either directly or in support of another applicant – since 1 January 2019. Please provide the following information:
1. Station name
2. Desired improvement(s)
3. The lead applicant
4. Date of application
5. Whether the application was successful or not
6. If successful, when the work was completed or is scheduled for completion.
Devon County Council supported a bid from Great Western Railway (GWR) in April 2022, to the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme to support accessibility improvements at three stations in Devon, as detailed below:
1. Station names – Exeter St Thomas, Teignmouth and Tiverton Parkway.
2. Desired improvement(s) – funding for lift / ramp scheme installations in Control Period 7 (2024 – 2029).
3. The lead applicant – GWR.
4. Date of application – Spring 2022.
5. Whether the application was successful or not – undetermined. The last update received from GWR was in April 2023, stating that The Department for Transport has still not released the results from the current round of bidding. The bid was for funding in Network Rail’s Control Period 7 (2024 to 2029). There will not be any further Access for All bids until Control Period 8 – each round covers five years. There has been no further information on either the timing of any announcement, the amount of funds or the number of schemes to be supported.
6. If successful, when the work was completed or is scheduled for completion – Unknown.
B. If you have any plans to make or support an application in the period to 31 March 2025, please supply details as a-c above if known.
Please see response to question 5 above, which confirms that, if successful, the schemes would be funded during 2024 to 2029.