Barry’s concert trips derailed

CURTAIN down on concert trips . . . Mr Carr at his home

A concert-loving wheelchair traveller says the curtain has come down on his nights out — because he can’t get back home.

And despite Greenfield rail station undergoing a massive refurbishment, father-of-two Barry Carr, says there is no exit for his wheelchair on his return from Manchester.

Mr Carr, former caretaker at Saddleworth School, suffers with arthritis, but enjoys shows at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

The 60-year-old says: “If I got off the train at Greenfield late at night after the concert ended I would be completely marooned.

“There is just no means of leaving the station in a wheelchair from the Yorkshire bound platform. I could not get over the bridge — and there is no one about at that time of night to help.”

Now friends have highlighted Mr Carr’s plight to Councillor Richard Knowles, the Saddleworth South Ward councillor, and the Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association.

Mr Carr, who lives at Chew Valley Road, has arthritis and other health-related problems, and although he is not completely wheelchair-bound, he uses the train for easy access to Manchester.

He explained: “I would normally catch a taxi to Greenfield station and travel to Bridgewater Hall on the metro or taxi from Manchester Victoria station in my wheelchair.

“Trains are a wonderful form of transport and fantastic for disabled travellers. The staff really look after you. But I would not fancy coming back late at night knowing I can’t get off the platform at Greenfield.

“The new front to the station is ideal — but it’s not what I need to get back. It is a problem too if I wanted to travel to Huddersfield or York — I just can’t do it.

“I have had to give up any thought of going to Manchester now — I just couldn’t afford the taxi fare,” he added.

Councillor Knowles said: “Greenfield Station, like dozens of others in Greater Manchester, including Mossley, has step-only access to one platform.

“The cost of ramps — where platforms are wide enough — or lifts are huge and funding is unlikely to be secured in the near future.

“However, I am investigating the reopening of the long ramp access to Oldham Road which was closed in the early 1990s.

“Meantime I have successfully campaigned for the Ring & Ride disabled access door to door bus service to be extended beyond the borough boundary so disabled passengers can travel from Stalybridge to home — or to Greenfield Station — on their return journeys.”