councillors are getting set to spend some of a £100,000 pot of money on improving access to Steeton and Silsden Railway Station.

The Craven Ward has been given a lump sum from the sale of Leeds Bradford Airport to spend on benefiting the community in the area.

After a number of complaints and consultations, several changes will be made to improve safety and disabled access to the station.

Ward Councillor Andrew Mallinson said: “There has been a natural crossing that people have used to get from one side to the other at the safest point without having to cross too many roads.

“We are going to formalise the crossing to encourage people to cross there because it is safer.

“We are also going to create dropped kerbs so that it is easier for people in wheelchairs to get on and off the pavement.

“We will also be hardening some of the verges around the station because we have had a number of complaints when it gets muddy and people can slip.”

Other minor refurbishments, such as new signs, will bring the total cost of the improvements to around £10,000.

But the plans stop short of creating decent disabled access from one side of the station to the other, a problem that was highlighted in the Keighley News in January.

A flight of 40 steps prevents wheelchair-reliant people from crossing from one platform to the other and forces them instead over four roads and a roundabout, which Councillor Mallinson says is unacceptable.

He said: “Stage two of this is to focus on safer access for disabled people to cross the station. We will be looking to the railway authority for funding for this as well.”