Transport bosses have been criticised for failing to install a second lift at a Midland Metro station eight years after first considering the scheme.

Centro, the West Midlands Transport Authority, first began to explore how disabled people could access Bilston Central station in June 2001.

But the authority still have not decided whether to go ahead with the scheme, which angered Coun Judith Rowley.

Wolverhampton councillor Judith Rowley (Lab, Blakenhall) said: “The consultants working on this project estimated the cost of the lift would be £200,000. Then further work found the scheme would cost £600,000 – and this concerns me as we need to make this a fully accessible scheme. Line One (of the Metro) will only be fit for purpose when all sections of our community can use it.”

Coun Rowley spoke at a Centro meeting where a report presented to the authority. The report says that ramps were installed at Lodge Road and Victoria Road Metro stations but it was not feasible at Bilston so they began to look at installing a second lift.

Designs by the Centro framework consultants estimated cost of the lift at £234,000, but a sewage pipe under the planned lift site meant a second lift might not work, the report said. A revised plan costs more than £600,000 and has proposed that further work must be investigated, the report said.

Centro’s director of Rail and Rapid Transit Nigel Pennington said: “The Authority must decide whether this is value for money. We will continue to follow this through but need to think about the extent of the resources we use.”