Question
One of the lifts at Woking station was out of service for 40 days in one year, and constituents in West Byfleet have complained that their station’s platform is too high for them to use safely. What is the Secretary of State doing to make sure that stations on the South Western Railway line are accessible for all?
Answer
As I said in my earlier answer, we do have a programme of work happening across the country at the moment, whether that is further design work on stations or construction works that are under way. In reference to the two stations that the hon. Gentleman mentioned—Woking and West Byfleet—I would be happy to look at the details and discuss with him whether future improvements could come forward as part of the next spending review.
Verdict: AMBER (30/100)
The reply describes the general national station programme, which gives some background. It does not tie that programme to the South Western Railway line the question asked about. Its only line-specific content is a promise to look at Woking and West Byfleet and consider improvements at the next spending review, with no concrete commitment or date. The answer is mostly hedged, so the person who asked would likely need to press again for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the Secretary of State is doing to make stations on the South Western Railway line accessible for all. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply describes a general national programme of station design and construction work (statements 1-2), which is the kind of general position the item asks for, but it is not tied to the South Western Railway line. The only SWR-specific content is an offer to look at Woking and West Byfleet and to consider improvements in the next spending review (statements 3-4), which commits to no concrete action or date. |