The Government has announced a major programme to fund accessibility at railway stations across the country. This includes progressing to detailed designs at Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury Stations.

This follows a sustained campaign from Hounslow Council, Andy Slaughter MP, Ruth Cadbury MP, and local resident groups.

The announcement was made in a written statement by Simon Lightwood MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport.

Since 2006, the Access for All programme (AfA) has delivered step free accessible routes at over 270 stations.

Broken Tory promises

The statement details how the previous Conservative Government made promises in the run-up to the last election, without saying how they would be funded:

“In May 2024, the previous government announced feasibility work on 50 stations without indicating how the delivery of such schemes would be funded, raising significant stakeholder expectations. This government is committed to a rigorous approach and only making commitments we believe are affordable and would represent value for money to passengers and taxpayers.”

Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury are two of 23 projects, which are now progressing to detailed design.

Commenting on the announcement, Labour Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, said:

“We’ve been campaigning for this for years. The previous Tory Government made false promises, writing cheques they couldn’t cash.

“With sustained pressure from this Labour Council, our two brilliant Labour MPs, Andy Slaughter and Ruth Cadbury – as well as the tireless work of local community groups – this Labour Government is delivering for people in Brentford and Chiswick.

“Their hard work cannot be overstated. We will continue to push for further progress at both stations as well as for stations across our borough.

“The fact that this news comes just after London Labour Councils successfully blocked plans to potentially restrict the Freedom Pass for older residents, shows that only one party is committed to making London accessible for all.”