LEOMINSTER Railway Station will remain a no-go area for many disabled people for at least five years because government money to improve access has run out.

Tom Harris, under-secretary of state for transport, says cash to create a step-free' station for Leominster will not be available until 2012-2015.

The news has angered the town's new mayor Brettina Meadows - a mobility scooter user. Disabled travellers cannot use the station, she says. Even able-bodied passengers risk accidents in struggling to heave luggage and pushchairs up steep flights of steps.

"I am very cross about this - the decision is short-sighted and foolish," said Councillor Meadows.

Campaigners have been lobbying for more than 20 years for wheelchair access over the tracks to the platform for Hereford and Newport but the town missed out on a recent tranche of Access for All grants.

Mr Harris said the majority of funding was spent on the busiest stations. Miss Meadows hit back saying: "Leominster station would be busier if people could use it."

In a letter to Leominster MP Bill Wiggin, the transport minister said he was considering giving funding to provide step-free access at Leominster station by 2015.

Mr Wiggin said: "Many of my constituents have tremendous difficulties using the station and I have been campaigning to improve access since being elected.

"We were all very disappointed when Leominster was not included in the original list of 92 stations in the Access for All programme. I have continued to raise this issue with the government, Arriva, First Great Western and Network Rail on many occasions. I hope that the minister will now stick by his word and ensure that access to Leominster station is improved."

Better access was crucial for local people to make more journeys by train, said the MP.