Boris steps back on 2012 access

By Paul Carter

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been accused of deprioritising accessible transport for disabled people after it was revealed that plans to bring step-free access at over 20 London Underground stations have been shelved.

Of 45 stations that former mayor Ken Livingstone promised would be step-free by 2013, work on 22 is to be deferred, while another two will only see partial improvements.

At at least two stations, groundwork for the building of lifts has already been completed and will now be put on hold.

Accessible transport campaigners and politicians have been outraged by the news. £20m has been spent on six station improvements schemes that will now be held up.

Transport for London (TfL) blamed the decision on the economic downturn and the financial impact of the collapse of Tube maintenance company, Metronet.

Talking to Disability Now, a spokesman for TfL said: “In order to have the money to continue with line upgrades, which will result in a 30 per cent capacity increase for all Londoners, some projects unfortunately could not proceed. The total budget for the six schemes that have been stopped was £92m and this funding is simply not available.”

TfL has denied that abandoning the works has been a waste of money, claiming that “the enabling work started at these stations will not be wasted. It will still be of benefit if funds are available in the future to recommence these works.”

Faryal Velmi, director of Transport for All, which campaigns for accessible transport in the capital, said the decision shows that the mayor does not see accessibility as a priority.

She said: “We are very disappointed, as we feel that access plans have been the first victim of the economic climate.

“This is a really regressive move that postpones and delays an accessible Tube system for at least another generation.”

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesperson and chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee said: “Transport for London, which the Mayor of London chairs, has shown incredible incompetence in starting work on step-free access at six Underground stations and then cancelling the work before completion.

“Through poor budgeting, no improvements in access will take place yet £20 million of public money has been totally wasted.”

Of the 270 stations served by London Underground, only 58 offer step-free access from the platform to street level, rising to 65 in time for the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.

TfL’s updated business plan, published in October, showed that investment for step-free access schemes on the Tube will be targeted at the stations “where it can deliver the greatest benefit for the largest number of customers”.