Government ministers have snubbed attempts to get disabled access at one of Kirklees’ most important rail stations.

Campaigners have been trying for years to get improvements at Mirfield, the only station in the borough with a direct service to London.

The station has steep stairs to the platform that serves London Kings Cross, Leeds and Wakefield, making it impossible for disabled people to use.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff has been trying to secure support to improve the station, which also suffers from huge parking problems and has no ticket machines.

But she was shocked when her request to discuss the matter with government ministers was rebuffed.

It is more than 20 years since the Disability Discrimination Act was made law.

Ms Sherriff said: “Given that a new government rail minister has recently been appointed, I wrote to Paul Maynard asking for a meeting to discuss issues regarding Mirfield Railway Station, particularly regarding access for people with disabilities, limited mobility and parents/carers using prams.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff speaking in the House of Commons

“I was incredibly disappointed and somewhat shocked that the minister has refused to meet me to discuss this important issue.

“He did not offer an appointment on the future nor even the offer of a meeting with another minister or an aide.

“Clearly the minister does not regard this issue as being worthy of a discussion but please be assured that I will continue to pursue the matter and will endeavour to raise the topic of Mirfield Station at every available opportunity.”

The popularity of Mirfield train station has surged in recent years as parking charges increase in the larger towns around West Yorkshire.

But with only a small car park, rail passengers have taken to leaving their cars on both sides of the nearest road, causing traffic chaos throughout the day.

Kirklees Council has said it plans to paint double yellow lines at intervals down Hopton New Road to try and ease the problem of motorists clashing head on.

But attempts to get the rail authorities or the government to do anything about the platform access or car park have fallen on deaf ears.