Step-Free Access Planned for Boston Manor Tube Station
Funds given to make it fully accessible by spring 2022
Boston Manor Tube Station
Boston Manor is one of 13 stations on the London Underground network which is to be upgraded to have step-free access. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has announced funding for the plan which means the station should fully accessible by spring 2022.
Other stations that are being upgraded are Burnt Oak, Debden, Hanger Lane, Ickenham, North Ealing, Northolt, Park Royal, Rickmansworth, Ruislip, Snaresbrook, Sudbury Hill and Wimbledon Park.
Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford and Isleworth said, “I welcome this announcement which will help residents access the Piccadilly line. I hope that the next allocation of upgrades to be announced as part of the TfL ‘step free’ investment will include Turnham Green and Gunnersbury. Gunnersbury station has serious overcrowding problems which I have raise to TfL, while Turnham Green is a key station in Chiswick. Once the Piccadilly Line signalling upgrades are complete trains will be stopping at these stations regularly and this improved access will be needed even more.”
This is the next allocation of an additional £200m the Mayor is investing in increasing the number of stations with step-free access. This will help bring the total number of Underground stations with step-free access to all platforms to more than 100 and TfL aims to have 40% of stations fully accessible by 2022 compared to the current level of 27% This number will partly be boosted by the opening of the Elizabeth line for which all stations will be step-free.
Sadiq Khan, said, “It’s vital that we make our transport network accessible to all Londoners and visitors. That’s why I vowed to significantly improve the services offered at our stations for those with disabilities, parents with pushchairs or anyone who struggles with their mobility. These improvements are going to make a big difference in helping Londoners move around our city and show the real progress we are making to improve accessibility right across the capital.”
As part of the Mayor’s Tube accessibility programme, a new lift contract has been introduced that can be replicated across many stations. TfL say that it delivers the same standards of reliability but at a fraction of the cost and length of time it previously took to design, manufacture and install a lift. They anticipate that this initiative will cut the cost of installing each lift cut by 70 per cent, making savings of £15m. It will also cut the delivery time by 40 per cent, allowing TfL to introduce step-free access in the quickest time possible.
Paul Goulden, Chief Executive of Age UK London, said: “We’re very pleased to see the number of stations with step-free access will rise to more than 100 by 2022. We want London to be as accessible as possible and these changes mean that more older people will have improved access to central London and can enjoy all that the city has to offer. Today’s announcement is another key step towards achieving this and we look forward to welcoming further progress over the coming years.”
There are currently 72 stations that are fully accessible, making up 27% of the network. Once the work is completed on these 13 stations, as well as the ongoing work at 10 other stations and the forthcoming Elizabeth line, there will be 102 step free stations – making 37.7 per cent of the network.
January 19, 2018