CHURCH bosses have defended their decision to deny access through their grounds to elderly people attending a neighbouring charity which has been left cut off by roadworks.

Older people who attend Age Concern Stourbridge and Halesowen's Elton Centre, off St John's Road, have accused the United Reformed Church of failing them in their hour of need by refusing to allow vehicle access through the driveway/car park of the derelict St John's Church.

The charity has been left entirely without vehicle access to the Elton Centre due to ongoing railway bridge works on Parkfield Road, which are not expected to conclude until May, and the situation has forced elderly and disabled clients to make their own way to the centre from nearby public car parks some distance away.

Pleas to the church to help by allowing access through its disused grounds have so far fallen on deaf ears - with bosses saying their insurance policy will not allow it.

But anxious service users, staff at the charity and Stourbridge's MP Margot James have issued a further appeal to the United Reformed Church to rethink the decision.

Jean Hill, who uses the centre, said: "The church should be compassionate and want to help residents access this service yet they won't allow Age Concern to use their car park for just a few hours of the day."

Ms James said she was "very disappointed" at the church's reaction to her request a few weeks ago and she added: "To say that it is a health and safety issue misses the point. Age Concern’s clients only want to drive through their car park to get to their own car park just until the bridge works are complete - they don't want to enter the church itself at any point.

"I would expect any church to show some understanding and at least make an offer to the charity to allow them to open up the car park to allow access to vulnerable or disabled people as required."

Rev Steven Faber, moderator of the United Reformed Church’s West Midlands Synod, however, has refused to budge and said: "We acknowledge the current work to the bridge is causing problems for Age Concern’s clients and are surprised that, in planning the bridge repairs, Network Rail did not create alternate access routes for all those directly affected.

"Despite the difficulties the bridge works are causing, we regret that we are unable to comply with the request from Margot James MP.

"Allowing access would put us in contravention of our insurance policy – our priority is to protect members of the public, from possible injuries, and in so doing we believe we are demonstrating care for our neighbour.

"As well as loving our neighbour, Christians are called to be wise stewards of all they have; and for us, as a charity, wise stewarding includes complying with insurance and legislative requirements.

"I am sure that as a Member of Parliament, Ms James will fully understand and support this.

"We look forward to the completion of the bridge works and the reopening of all access routes."

A spokesman for Network Rail confirmed the work to the railway bridge is due to be completed in May and said: “We contacted local businesses so they were aware of the impact of this essential work and have done all we can to minimise disruption as much as possible – including ongoing contact to discuss any issues

“We will do all we can to complete the bridge replacement as quickly and safely as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”