BOLTON West MP Ruth Kelly is demanding explanations from transport bosses over their reluctance to improve disabled access at Blackrod Station.

She is querying the estimated cost of carrying out the work, following a meeting at the station with campaigners who are calling for the southbound platform to be made wheelchair-friendly.

And in a letter to the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, she is demanding to know where a £384,500 grant has gone which was supposed to have been spent on three stations, including Blackrod, between April 1999 and March 2002.

Ms Kelly says some of the Rural Challenge cash could have been used to provide an access ramp.

During the meeting with Ms Kelly and the campaigners, a transport executive official claimed the cost of altering the platform would be nearer £1 million rather than the £100,000 which has been mentioned on previous occasions.

So Ms Kelly has asked for a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in each option for improving the station.

She is challenging the executive to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act which, from next year, makes it law for transport bosses to make reasonable adjustments to overcome access problems encountered by disabled people.

Ms Kelly says not going ahead with Blackrod Station improvements is unacceptable.

"As a result of this decision, not only will disabled residents in Blackrod still have to go to Adlington or Horwich Parkway if they want to travel on a southbound train, but mothers wanting to travel with pushchairs, local residents with bulky luggage and those less mobile will have to as well," she said.