Accessibility improvements such as tactile paving, ‘Harrington Humps’ to increase a platform’s height and greater use of contrasting colours in stations to help people with visual impairment get around safely are among measures that will be supported.

Passenger watchdog Transport Focus welcomed the new fund, but its chief executive Anthony Smith added: “There is still a long way to go until people with disabilities have full access to trains and station facilities.”

He also said that passengers with disabilities must not continue to experience a “mixed response” to their requests for help when using the railways. “Operators must ensure that all booked help arrives and that the correct help is provided”.

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association policy business partner John Welsman said the new funding will help those with sight loss get around more easily. But he also pointed out that train travel “is still a very complex environment for people with sight loss”.

Launch of the £20M accessibility improvement fund this week comes a year after the Government published its Inclusive Transport Strategy. Since then a £2M fund has been introduced to bring ‘Changing Places’ accessible toilets to more motorway service areas. And last month guidance was issued to local authorities in England for extending the Blue Badge parking scheme to include more people with hidden disabilities.

Accessibility Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “While many take for granted the ability to travel easily from A to B, access for the fifth of people who identify as disabled can be far from straightforward. We want disabled people to travel easily, confidently and without extra cost.”

(Photograph: TfL)