New lifts should be installed as part of a £3 million makeover at a Perthshire railway station which will be at the centre of the golf world next year.
With the 2014 Ryder Cup set to take place at Gleneagles, the local station will be a major gateway to the venue for thousands of golf fans.
As part of improvements, a £3m link road with a pedestrian footway to the A9/A823 Loaninghead roundabout will be built, along with a turning circle and extra parking.
While he welcomed the upgrade, local man John Wightman (89), of Grampian Avenue, Auchterarder, said more could be done to help disabled passengers.
He knows the station well said it was an ideal opportunity to ensure Gleneagles caters for less able travellers.
“While this is under way, there is a strong need to press for station improvements to ensure people with walking disabilities and in wheelchairs can use the station without having to travel to Stirling or Perth stations for trains travelling south,” said Mr Wightman.
“This could be accomplished by the installation of lifts on platforms 1 and 2 on either side of the footbridge.”
Mr Wightman said he felt these issues should be addressed before the Ryder Cup to ensure there was praise for meeting the needs of visitors rather than criticism.
“This would complete what is a very fine station for the 21st century,” he said.
Scotrail said they have not forgotten the less able rail passengers.
“We are planning to install a disabled access ramp on the northbound platform at Gleneagles, subject to listed building consent,” said a spokesperson.
“This work would be funded through Transport Scotland’s Access for All Small Schemes Fund. It is hoped the ramp will be installed by spring/summer 2013.”
The work at the station recently received the approval of local councillors. The council’s roads design team will construct a new access road to the station, allowing the existing access off the A9 to be stopped-up.
The benefits of the scheme will include better access to rail services for commuters and safer routes to encourage pedestrian and cycle access to the station.
It will also mean better and safer public transport access to the area for tourists and visitors in anticipation of the Ryder Cup. The question of lifts is one for Network Rail, who lease the station to Scotrail.
However, despite attempted efforts to get a comment from Network Rail, they refused to say whether they would be considering such investment.
The Ryder Cup will be held from September 26 to 28 2014 on the PGA Centenary Course at the Gleneagles Hotel. This will be the second time that Scotland has hosted the Ryder Cup, the 1973 competition having been played at Muirfield.
rburdge@thecourier.co.uk