Report shows one in ten Londoners with reduced mobility cannot fully access public transport

Only one third of London's 300 rail station have step-free access from street to platform

A new London Assembly Transport Committee's report shows that more than one in ten Londoners cannot access large sections of the public transport network due to reduced mobility.

The Committee’s report shows only ten of London’s 270 Tube stations are completely step-free all the way from street level to train and only 61 Tube stations have step-free access from the street to the platform.

Also, just one-third of London’s 300 rail stations have step-free access from street to platform and while all London’s buses now have ramps, only half of London’s 17,476 bus stops meet the criteria for full accessibility.
 
The report also shows that the number of Londoners with reduced mobility will continue to rise to over a million by 2031, and that in four of the London boroughs with the highest number of residents with reduced mobility, less than half of bus stops and stations are accessible.

The Committee recommends a series of relatively low-cost measures that Transport for London (TfL) should prioritise, including allowing manual ramps at some terminating or outlying Tube stations, providing detailed information on TfL’s Journey Planner about things like step heights and improved training and guidance for bus drivers.

The report calls on TfL to consult people with reduced mobility about their plans to improve accessibility to ensure investment is targeted at measures and parts of London where it will make the most difference.

The Committee wants to see many of its recommendations implemented within the next six months to improve the situation as quickly as possible.

Chair of the Transport Committee, Val Shawcross AM, said: "The fact that hundreds of thousands of Londoners cannot use the public transport network with relative ease is simply unacceptable."

"Transport for London must get on top of the situation now or risk leaving an increasing number of people excluded from travelling on trains, Tubes and buses."

Further information:
Greater London Authority