MP Hunt Presses Government Over Ash Vale Station’s Access Problems

Published on: 9 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 9 Jan, 2026

Ash Vale Station – subject to a Parliamentary question by Sir Jeremy Hunt

By David Reading

The Government has assured MP Sir Jeremy Hunt that a decision will be made soon on whether measures will be introduced to improve access at Ash Vale Station.

The station is situated on a high embankment, which can only be accessed by flights of stairs. In the summer of 2024 the Dragon reported that nearly 2,700 people had signed a petition seeking step-free access at the station to help disabled people and others who found it difficult or impossible to climb the stairs.

This week Sir Jeremy, who is Conservative MP for Godalming and Ash, asked the Government what progress had been made. It was not the first time he had asked that question. The Government told him last spring that a feasibility study for Ash Vale Station was “well underway”, looking at whether to introduce important access changes.

Sir Jeremy Hunt in the Commons

The MP told the Government: “Being able to commute to work easily is vital for economic growth, but my constituents using Ash Vale Station have to climb the equivalent of two storeys of stairs, making it virtually impossible for people in wheelchairs, older people or young parents with prams to get up and get on to the main line to London.

“There’s an excellent proposal under Access for All on the Secretary of State’s desk. When will my constituents find out if there is going to be a happy new year for them?”

Giving the Government’s response this week, Heidi Alexander, the Secretary of State for Transport confirmed Ash Vale was one of the stations being considered as part of the Access for All programme, adding that decisions about the scheme “are literally on my desk at the moment”.

She added: “It won’t be too long to wait until we make an announcement about which schemes we will be taking forward both for further design work and to construction.”

The reply shows it’s not a foregone conclusion that Ash Vale will be successful but Sir Jeremy Hunt’s office told the Guildford Dragon they were hopeful.

Watch the Transport Secretary’s reply to Sir Jeremy Hunt: