THE long-awaited new disabled access ramp at Evesham railway station is to be unveiled tomorrow.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff will formally open the new ramp which will offer access to platform two for wheelchair users and pushchairs travelling from Worcester to Evesham who previously needed to make this leg of the journey by taxi.

Richard Rowland, who is First Great Western’s regional manager, said: “The completion of this project solves an access challenge we’ve had for some time at this station.

“Unfortunately, the project has been subject to a number of delays which are thankfully all behind us now.

"On behalf of all parties involved in the project we would like to apologise for it talking longer than we envisaged.”

The £170,000 project is funded by Network Rail, Worcestershire County Council and First Great Western and replaces a previous ramp on the site.

The new version is much longer making the gradients far more gentle.

It also includes three horizontal areas to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and the Department for Transport’s code of practice.

The route of the ramp takes it over an old railway siding, and barriers and handrails have been designed specifically for it.

Volunteer gardener Bob Carr is now setting about tree-planting and landscaping at the station following the receipt of a £1,000 grant from the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, which will also enables the purchase of a lawn mower and a wheel barrow.