Ledbury’s MP is hopeful that HS2 funding will be used to make long-awaited access improvements to the town’s railway station.

Sir Bill Wiggin has been calling for the Government to include Ledbury as it looks to fund smaller transport projects after scrapping the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2.

He wrote to transport secretary Mark Harper in October to make the case for Ledbury station, which has a low accessibility rating.

There is no disabled access from one platform to another, making the eastbound platform inaccessible to those with mobility issues.

In his letter, Sir Bill said Ledbury should be included as part of the Government’s “promise to level up every part of the United Kingdom” made in 2019.

He’s now had a reply - and it suggests Ledbury should have an answer by the end of the year.

Huw Merriman, the transport minister, wrote: “Following the end of the nomination period in September 2022, the Department and Network Rail are assessing over 300 new station nominations received for Access for All funding beyond 2024.

“This included a nomination for Ledbury station.

“The HS2 programme currently accounts for over one-third of all Government’s transport investments, preventing the Government from spending on people’s genuine priorities and doing little to improve the journeys that people make the most.

“Rather than delivering HS2 Phase 2a, the Phase 2b Western Leg and HS2 East, the Prime Minister is taking action to deliver greater frequency and quality of transport infrastructure.

“Thank you for your patience and we hope to be in a position to announce successful Access for All nominations later on this year.”

The first stage of the Government’s £1 billion investment plan has already been announced, with Rishi Sunak saying £150 million will be put into bus services in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.

Sir Bill is among the politicians calling for better access at Ledbury station for years - and saw the station miss out back in 2014 when the rail industry nominated almost 300 other stations for improvements.