DISABLED PEOPLE AND BRITISH RAIL

That this House views with the utmost concern the fact that the plans for and the mock-ups of the new generation of Class 323 cross-country advanced electrical trains with an expected 30 year service life and which are currently on display at the Tickford factory in Coventry, fail to make adequate provision for disabled people; notes that the three-car, 289 seater trains provide only one wheelchair place per unit; further notes that access from the platform to the train is made needlessly difficult for independent disabled people as passengers have to climb two steps from the platform to board the train; condemns the glaring omission of toilet facilities for disabled people; deeply regrets that no real consultation with disabled peoples' organisations had taken place; and therefore calls upon British Rail, as a matter of urgency, to consult fully all relevant organisations of disabled people with a view to introducing acceptable and user-friendly standards and provisions for disabled passengers and wheel-chair users in Class 323 trains and in all its new rolling stock; in particular urges the provision of toilets for disabled people in all British Rail passenger trains; further considers that disabled people deserve a far better deal from British Rail; and recognises that this requires financial support from Central Government as well as legislation making decent provision for disabled people mandatory.