Anger as TfL shelves plans for lift at Tube station (From Surrey Comet)

Anger as TfL shelves plans for lift at Tube station

11:17am Wednesday 17th December 2008 in News By Emmeline Sharp

Campaigners have accused transport chiefs of putting money ahead of the disabled, elderly and families after plans for a passenger lift at Tooting Broadway station were scrapped.

The announcement, which also sees the planned lift at Clapham South station shelved, was made last week at a Transport for London (TfL) meeting with costs cited as the reason.

But campaigners say the lift had been agreed to and have vowed to carry on fighting - even threatening legal action.

They are calling on TfL bosses to honour their word and go ahead with the much-needed lift.

More than 20 million people per year use Tooting Broadway station - making it one of the busiest stations on the Tube network. It also serves St George’s Hospital which has more than 100,000 visitors per year.

Martyn Ellacott from the Wandsworth Access Association has been campaigning for lift installations across the capital since 1995. He said: “I am very angry that once again the needs of the disabled have been ignored in favour of saving money.

“We were promised this lift, which is not only vital for disabled people but also for the elderly and parents with prams, but they are back-tracking. I feel like transport bosses wish disabled people didn’t exist, but we do and we will carry on campaigning to get this vital lift installed.

“I would urge everyone to write to their MP, councillors and the Mayor to let them know how important this is. It has been promised to us and now it has to be delivered to ensure everyone has access to transport. If all other options fail, we will certainly look at taking court action.”

In response to the announcement, Mr Ellacott is now calling on TfL to extend its taxi scheme, which currently runs at Earlsfield station. The scheme allows disabled people to call a taxi from a station which does not have disabled access and take them to one which does.

Tooting MP Sadiq Kahn said: “I am very disappointed at the new Mayor’s u-turn. Tooting Broadway is one of the busiest stations in London and is crying out for disabled access. It is the main stop people use to get to St George’s Hospital – it is vital this lift is built to help people access their local health services.

The nearest tube station with a lift is Morden, meaning passengers need to catch a bus or taxi to Tooting Broadway.

TfL had planned to ensure 25 per cent of London underground stations had step-free access by 2011 but campaigners say this now looks unlikely.

A TfL spokeswoman said: “Our design and feasibility work showed that installing lifts at both Tooting Broadway and Clapham South would be complex, disruptive and costly as they are both in areas with a location and geology that would make tunnelling very difficult.