Calls for step-free access to Willesden Green station as second petition handed to Mayor of London

Brent & Harrow Assembly Member Navin Shah with second petition calling for step-free access to Willesden Green underground platforms. Archant

A petition has been handed in to London’s mayor demanding step-free access at Willesden Green underground station.

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Navin Shah, London Assembly member for Brent, submitted his second petition to Sadiq Khan with 800 signatures from neighbours, traders, and local businesses.

The new petition, supported by Dudden Hill councillor Janice Long, urges Transport for London (TfL) to conduct a feasibility study which considers the case for lift and bridge access to Jubilee Line platforms from Station Parade.

There are 30 steps between the station concourse and platforms below which are challenging for disabled, elderly and parents with push chairs.

The petition suggests that TfL and Brent Council can raise the funding required from third party sources and Section 106 agreements generated from large-scale developments in the borough.

The Mayor of London is investing £200 million to ensure that 40 per cent of the London Underground network is step-free by March 2022.

However, Mr Shah said the government removed TfL's operational grant last year which totals approximately £700 million a year.

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TfL is now the only transport authority in Europe that does not receive a government subsidy for day-to-day running costs.

Mr Shah added: "It is vital that we open our local transport links as far as possible to those with disabilities and mobility issues and parents with young children.

"I am happy to submit this second petition to the Mayor of London on behalf of local councillors and the Willesden Green Access Group.

"There is a clear case for the provision of step-free access at the station which is located in a residential area with many community hubs and places of worship nearby.

"I will continue to lobby the Mayor of London, TfL and Brent Council to deliver step free access at this station. It should be highlighted that the mayor is prioritising improving step-free access across the tube network, but the government is grossly underfunding transport in the capital, preventing TfL from being even more ambitious on this issue."

Brent Council did not confirm it would put funding towards it.

But cllr Shama Tatler, cabinet lead for planning, confirmed the council backed the petition. She said: "Of course we too want all stations in Brent to be step-free.

"We want to work with TfL to look how we can deliver step-free stations across Brent."