TRAIN passengers with mobility problems in Dorchester are fed up with having to take time-consuming detours to Weymouth.

The northbound platform at Dorchester West station is off-limits to wheelchair passengers and parents with buggies because it can only be reached by an overhead footbridge with steps.

Passengers who can’t reach the platform have to take a 13-mile round-trip south to Weymouth before they can board a northbound train on the First Great Western line to Bath and Bristol.

Now they are calling for rail chiefs to provide better access to the platform.

Chris Irwin, of Fordington, who had a stroke 11 years ago, uses a buggy.

He said: “We first discussed it a few months ago with Dorset County Council and it’s a bit sad that the plans keep getting shelved.

“I think more people would use the line and go to Bristol if the platform was accessible.”

Terri Bartlett, chairman of the Dorchester Access Group, said the group has been fighting to improve access to the platform for a number of years.

She said: “It’s very frustrating that we haven’t got anywhere with this.

“What we are asking for is a long ramp with a parking area at the bottom with access halfway along Williams Avenue.”

The group, along with the Dorchester Area Community Partnership, has made a plea to Dorset County Council to re- submit a bid for access funding to Network Rail.

A previous bid was unsuccessful after the rail company said there wasn’t enough demand for a ramp.

Susan Blake, a member of the community railway partnership, said it was ‘self-evident’ that there is a demand.

“For a county town it’s sad that we haven’t got proper access at this station.

“People using Dorchester South can drive over to the other platform by road but you can’t do that at Dorchester West.”

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “So far the station has not been allocated any funding under the Department for Transport’s Access for All scheme.

“This does not mean that the Government is dismissive of the bid.

“We will continue to provide the guidance to the council in reviewing their bid and will also continue to work with First Great Western to do what we can to meet passengers’ needs.”

Tim Westwood, the county council’s traffic manager, said that the authority will be re- submitting a stronger bid.

He added: “We are aware of the difficulties that wheelchair users and people with push-chairs have accessing the northbound platform at Dorchester West station.

“Our last bid was unsuccessful due to the relatively low number of passengers using the services compared with other applications.

“We plan on bidding again and will be holding further discussions with local groups and organisations to make our new application stronger.”