Kensington and Chelsea Council is intensifying its efforts to secure step-free access at South Kensington station, a move aimed at benefiting hundreds of thousands of potential passengers annually.
At a recent Full Council meeting, councillors unanimously passed a motion urging the Mayor of London to commit to the project. The council has pledged to contribute 10% of the total costs, up to £12 million.
Councillor Mary Weale, who moved the motion, highlighted the significant impact of the station's inaccessibility, stating that 500,000 potential journeys a year are avoided because the station is not accessible.
She emphasised that this not only excludes individuals from visiting the area's museums but also negatively impacts London as a whole.
The motion calls upon Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Council, and Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Finance, Customer Services & Net Zero Council, to maintain pressure on key stakeholders, particularly the Mayor of London and Westminster City Council, to contribute to the project. While the motion specifically mentions Westminster City Council, details regarding their current stance on contributing funds were not specified in the meeting documents.
During the debate, contributions were made by Councillors Kasim Ali, Toby Benton, Gregory Hammond, Dahabo Isse, Eva Jedut, Will Lane, Sof McVeigh, Lloyd North, Abdullahi Nur, Will Pascall, Josh Rendall, Claire Simmons, and Kim Taylor-Smith, underscoring the widespread support for the initiative across the council.
