Petition urges Government to rethink staff cuts which 'force disabled passengers off the railways'

• Video report by Granada Reports' Political Correspondent Lise McNally

Campaigners from Greater Manchester are warning that government plans to modernise the railways will mean many disabled people will be forced off their local trains.

They're calling on the government to rethink plans to reorganise staffing levels, which they say will take guards off the trains, take staff out of ticket offices, and reduce the hours that certain stations are manned.

It comes amid warnings that these changes will mean that it's not safe for people with accessibility needs to travel safely and independently.

"We need those staff on the stations, we need those staff on the trains, otherwise we simply cannot use them!" Dennis Queen told ITV News.

"And we don't just mean wheelchair users - visually impaired people need assistance on the trains, lots of older people need assistance on the trains, sometimes parents need assistance on the trains.

"This is public transport, we're still members of the public - we just want to get on and mind our own business!"

More than 150 disabled organisations have come together to hand a series of petitions into Downing Street, urging the Government to ensure accessibility needs are still being met - that ticket offices are kept, and staffing levels at stations and on trains are maintained and increased.

Helen Rowlands is representing the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, and says their hope is that "the Government gets the message that disabled peoples access needs are not optional - we have rights in law, and we expect those rights to me upheld"

The Department of Transport told ITV News that the Government has delivered step free accessible routes at over 200 stations through a programme called "Access for All" - with additional improvements at over 1,500 stations.

A spokesperson added "Everyone should be able to travel with confidence and the safety of passengers will central to any reforms."

"By modernising the railway and moving staff out of ticket offices, we can enable them to provide more face-to-face assistance, so all passengers get the help they need."

But another North West campaigner isn't convinced.

"Not every disabled passenger is able to use a smartphone, they might have a visual impairment, they might need that face to face contact and help to buy a ticket, so it's much better to have a friendly face"

Nathaniel Yates has cerebral palsy, and has been fighting for better accessibility, ramps and lifts at Greater Manchester's stations ever since suffering a fall while trying to hurry for a train.

He feels that the Government is sending mixed messages.

"The Government says it wants to help get disabled people into work - but if the trains are a mode of transport that's off to us, then we can't get access to them - and it's not fair. We should be doing more to try to make things accessible."

And the MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth is worried that it will mean increased social isolation for disabled people all around the country.

"It's a real, real issue - the UK is a signatory of the UN Convention of disabled people's rights, accessibility is one of those rights - why aren't we delivering on it?" MP Debbie Abrahams said,

"All the evidence shows that disabled people are already excluded from society, they already use public transport a lot less - in this day and age we really need to make sure that disabled people are able to live a full and inclusive life."

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