No step‑free upgrade planned for Haverfordwest station
Network Rail says no accessibility works are scheduled for Haverfordwest station, even as the site wins a national community award.
Network Rail has confirmed there are no plans to provide step‑free access to Platform 2 at Haverfordwest railway station, despite the station’s recent nomination for the World Cup of Stations 2026.
The county town’s main station was highlighted for community projects involving young people, artists and local groups, yet the accolade has shone a light on a long‑standing accessibility shortfall.
Platform 1, which handles the majority of services, is reachable without stairs, but Platform 2 can only be accessed via a footbridge with flights of steps.
Wheelchair users, passengers with limited mobility, parents with pushchairs and travellers with heavy luggage are forced to use the bridge, creating a barrier to independent travel.
“Assistance was needed after a train arrived on the second platform,” one wheelchair user told the station’s management.
Another passenger added, “I was told that, in some circumstances, a wheelchair user could be required to travel to Johnston before being brought back to Haverfordwest by taxi.”
Parents travelling alone with young children have also raised concerns about being expected to carry pushchairs and children over the footbridge when services use Platform 2.
Network Rail said only a relatively small number of trains use the second platform – five services on weekdays and three on Saturdays – but the continued use means the problem persists.
The infrastructure owner confirmed no funding bid has been submitted for accessibility works at the station.
“We are not aware of any complaints from members of the public regarding access between the platforms,” a Network Rail spokesperson said.
Transport for Wales, which operates passenger services and provides assistance for travellers who need extra support, has been asked to comment on the issue.
The Welsh Government was also approached for comment on whether the station has previously been considered for accessibility funding.
Network Rail added that if a third‑party funder wishes to finance improvements, they should approach the organisation for further discussion.
The station’s award nomination relates to community activity and aesthetic improvements around the site, not to the railway infrastructure itself.
Community groups have helped refurbish the station’s surroundings, earning national recognition while the step‑free gap remains.
Transport for Wales currently provides staff assistance on request, but the lack of a permanent solution leaves passengers dependent on ad‑hoc help.
Local disability advocates have highlighted the contrast between the station’s celebrated community work and the ongoing exclusion of wheelchair users from Platform 2.
Without a dedicated funding application, the cost of installing lifts or ramps – likely to run into several hundred thousand pounds – remains unaddressed.
Transport for Wales has not disclosed whether it intends to submit a bid to the Welsh Government’s accessibility fund.
The station’s management said it will continue to monitor the situation but reiterated that no upgrade is currently scheduled.
Passengers are advised to check service patterns in advance, as trains using Platform 2 may still require assistance for those unable to use the footbridge.
The situation underscores a broader challenge across Wales’s rail network, where many stations lack step‑free routes despite growing demand for inclusive travel.