A Wirral railway station is to have a lift fitted after the Government announced a £60m grant for the region.

Meols station’s West Kirby Line platform will have a lift installed.

The announcement, made by transport minister Baroness Kramer today, comes after the Government allocated additional funding to extend the "Access for All" programme.

Baroness Kramer said: “These improvements will make a real difference to passengers – from those with limited mobility, to people with heavy luggage or parents with prams. This is great news.”

Wirral West MP Esther McVey said residents raised concerns over access to the platform which, currently, involves climbing a steep flight of concrete steps.

She said: "This is great news for everyone who uses Meols station.  Access has been a problem for years - for some of my constituents, it has been impossible to use the station."

It is anticipated that the design work for the lift will start early next year with the lift being installed in 2016.

Meols is one of only two in the Northwest that were on a list of 26 stations to sghare in the grant. The other is Mills Hill in Rochdale.