Birkenhead Park Railway Station

This was a small open-air station close to Birkenhead Park. It is classed as an ‘A’ train station on the metro access map meaning there is step-free access to both platforms. There was a very small ticket hall with a ticket desk and spots to swipe a metro card. There were then stairs and a lift down to the two platforms. The platform in the centre with the trains in either direction stopping on either side of the platform. Once on the platform, there are digital displays overhead to show which trains are coming and how long they will be. There is some seating up and down the platform and some of the seats have armrests and there was also a covered waiting area. There were tactile markers at the edge of the platform as well as a yellow line about a foot from the edge, followed by a white line on the very edge. The metro trains themselves were one of the best parts about the metro. They stopped level with the platforms and had a sliding-step to bridge the gap between the train at the platform. The accessible boarding point was really clearly signposted and the wheelchair space had been well thought out, in my opinion. This is mainly because I think the design accommodates people with lots of access needs. It seemed that as well as the driver there was always an additional member of staff on the train who would be checking to make sure people had got on safely before closing the doors. This made me feel safer knowing that someone was there if I ended up needing assistance.