ANY hopes of resolving the ongoing disabled access issue at Stirling Train Station could rest on an upcoming meeting with MSPs.

Cameron Little, of the Alloa Community Council, said that he has been left frustrated over the recent lack of movement regarding the accessibility issue, which has now been rumbling on for more than nine years.

The platform in question currently has no links to the rest of the station and with the platform popular with trains coming and going from Alloa, the community council is keen to have the issue resolved.

Over the years the issue has been raised at Holyrood and various meetings with MSPs including Keith Brown and Humza Yousaf - the former and current transport ministers, respectively.

According to Mr Little, however, promises have been broken time after time by those responsible for helping the disabled and parents with buggies who cannot get out of the train station if their train arrives at Platform 9.

Previously, Keith Brown, who is the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, was attributed as saying: “I can confirm that the Scottish Government will commit to funding the most suitable solution.”

Mr Brown later claimed he knew nothing about those comments.

Among those to attend the showdown talks will be Alexander Stewart, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, who has previously given his backing to Mr Little.

The Tory MSP insists something must be done after he witnessed first-hand the plight which some people are going through as a result of the issue.

He said: “Platform 9 continues to be an issue that will not go away. It has now been over 10 years since this situation was first raised and I am staggered that there is still no real situation for individuals who have mobility problems or for people in wheelchairs or have youngsters in buggies.

“I attended the site recently along with Mr Cameron Little and we saw at first-hand parents struggling with single and double buggies up the stairs and over to the concourse.

“I pay tribute to Mr Little for his continued commitment and I am determined to do all I can as a member of the Scottish Parliament to ensure that ministers in the Scottish Government are informed of the situation and that they are put under pressure as well as Network Rail, to come up with a practical situation as soon as possible.

“I look forward to the transport minister paying a visit to the station in the future to see for himself the difficulties that passengers have to endure and suffer on a daily basis.”

However, the community council has also been left increasingly frustrated at a perceived lack of effort from Mr Yousaf to act on the issue.

The transport minister was invited to a meeting at the station in July, but his office said he could not find time in his diary for him to attend.

When contacted by the Advertiser last week, his office released a comment on his behalf.

It read: “The minister welcomes ongoing discussion between all partners involved in seeking to improve this access issue.

“Transport Scotland is keen to support a solution but must await the outcome of the considerations being led by Network Rail which will inform what exactly can be delivered at the station.”