PLANS to install a £15,000 disabled access ramp at Evesham railway station have won the financial backing of town councillors.

A meeting of the planning and general purposes committee passed a clear majority vote to contribute £2,500 towards the cost of the proposed ramp, linking the station's platform two to Worcester Road.

The railway station has been without proper disabled access since spring 2002, when the level crossing was removed.

Councillor John Smith said: "I am just disappointed it has taken this amount of time.

"I would like to suggest that we come up with the £2,500 but that is our final figure because I can see the scheme costing more than that."

Evesham and District Pensioners Association has been campaigning for renewed disabled access at the station for more than a year.

Chairman Fred Kaler welcomed the proposal and backing of town councillors.

"This is fantastic news," said Mr Kaler.

"We suggested the use of the Worcester Road area, so I am pleased they took our suggestion on board. But there are still a lot of problems regarding access with trains so they need to be contended with."

Steve Arnold, disability officer for Disability Awareness in Schools, echoed Mr Kaler's comments.

He said: "It is great if access is going to be put back into the station so we can use both platforms, but I feel this will only be a partial victory."

He added that disabled access on to trains remained a problem.

The cost of the scheme is described as a "guestimate" by planning consultants, Thames Trains and Worcestershire County Council. Both agreed to contribute £5,000 each.

Wychavon District Council has agreed to match any funding pledged by Evesham Town Council, from the Town Centre Initiative Budget.