Long-suffering residents are campaigning to have ramps or a tunnel built to increase accessibility near a busy stretch of road that pedestrians cross every minute during peak commuter hours.

The steps between Gibraltar Recreation Ground in Ewell and Chessington Road near Ewell West train station prevent one resident’s 84-year-old arthritis-suffering mother from visiting her, the daughter claims, and inconvenience hundreds more.

Ewell Village Residents’ Association (EVRA) argue broadening the range of options available to pedestrians near Gibraltar Rec would help those unable to access the route.

The group’s chairman Brian Angus said that after campaigning for years the RA was gathering evidence and anecdotes of people “with lives disrupted by not being able to use the route”.

One resident wrote that her elderly mother, who has arthritis in her feet, so cannot walk far, struggles to travel between Ewell village and Longmead Road due to the steps and a lack of transport options.

Surrey Comet:

Last week the RA spent a morning counting the number of people using the steps and the crossing.

Between 6am and 10am on Thursday, June 22, Ewell Village Residents’ Association members counted 320 people using the Gibraltar recreation ground steps and Chessington Road crossing – 80 people per hour. 193 of these were walking up to Chessington Road, while 127 of these were coming down from Chessington Road.

Mr Angus described the crossing as an “interesting conflict between pedestrians and motorists”.

“Ramps would not overcome the conflict which our count quantifies but it might open this route to the large number of people who are affected,” he explained.

Surrey Comet:
But how did he get there?!

A county council spokesman said: "We are aware of the suggested measures so highways officers have met and discussed this with Network Rail.

“These discussions have included the consideration of additional pedestrian facilities and, although a feasible scheme has not been identified to date, conversations are continuing to find a solution."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We’re currently investing over £3 million at Ewell West station to install a new footbridge with lifts, which will make the station more accessible to all passengers who use it.

“We’re also aware of separate proposals put forward by residents to provide step-free access from the station to Gibraltar Recreation Ground, and we’ll continue to work with them as they further develop their plans.”

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