In the party’s second pledge for next year’s County Council election, Labour has committed to invest some of the County’s unspent Section 106 money to make Gloucester’s railway subway disability compliant within a year of taking office.

Section 106 money is the cash developers give to local planning authorities to improve communities affected by planning applications. Last year the Western Daily Press revealed that the Tory County Council is sitting on a massive £21 million of unspent money. Rather than spending it on improving local services the cash is sitting in a bank account earning interest for the council.

Labour has therefore pledged to spend some of this unspent cash (approximately £800,000) on building a ramp at Gloucester station, removing the steps to improve access for disabled residents and families with pushchairs. This follows Labour’s first election pledge to build a new community sports hub on the Javelin Park site instead of the ten storey Tory incinerator.

Labour County Council Group Chair Lesley Williams said, “For too long, disabled residents and families with pushchairs have been denied the access that they deserve to our County’s transport services. With £21 million in its coffers it’s simply unbelievable that the Tory Council has failed to take action on this issue.  Labour believes that all residents have the right to proper access and that is why we are pledging to use a modest sum from this unspent Section 106 money to make the County capital’s railway subway presentable and disability compliant.”

David Drew MP said, “It’s outrageous that the Tory Council has left tens of millions of pounds sitting in an account while the railway subway has remained inaccessible to so many County residents. I’m delighted that Labour councillors are pledging to ensure that disabled residents and local families gain the access to local services that they deserve within one year of gaining office if successful next year. We should ensure that fair access is available to all public services and I hope this will be just the start.”

Parmjit Dhanda MP said, “Disabled residents and local families have been calling for better accessibility to Gloucester station for many years. I am pleased to see the Labour group of councillors putting forward positive and costed solutions to local problems – first at Javelin Park and now at the railway subway.”