New lifts have been installed at Sudbury Hill Underground station on the Piccadilly line, bringing step-free access from street to platform
Sudbury Hill station is a Grade-II listed station and now sees new lifts in place, alongside improved signage and tactile paving for the full length of both platforms.
The improvements will support customers with reduced mobility gain access to both the station and the wider transport network, with boarding ramps still available to aid passengers boarding and alighting trains. Transport for London (TfL) Turn-up-and-go service will also see staff members on hand to support customers with their journeys.
The work will not only support those with reduced mobility but will also ease travel for those with heavy luggage, buggies and young children.
The upgrade has also seen the ticket hall updated with the old unused ticket office now removed, bringing improvements whilst carefully maintaining the look and feel of the original Charles Holden 1930's station. The work has seen bricks carefully selected for the building of the lift shafts to match the rest of the station and a new window was specifically designed to complement the existing windows.
The completion of work at Sudbury Hill station makes it the 90th step-free station on the Tube after Osterley Tube station which is also on the Piccadilly line became step-free during October 2021. Further stations made step free during 2021 include two brand new step-free stations on the Northern Line Extension at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station and also step-free access for Underground stations at Wimbledon Park, Ickenham, Debden and Amersham.
Work is currently underway to bring step free access to Harrow-on-the-Hill Tube station.
In preparation for the Elizabeth line, Ealing Broadway became step-free in May 2021 along with Whitechapel which was made step free after the original Whitechapel Road station entrance re-opened during August 2021.
Further TfL step-free projects will continue through 2022 and will see full step-free access for Knightsbridge and the Northern line at Moorgate, which will become step-free to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines during the early part of this year using the recently opened station entrance.
TfL will also move forward with step-free access work for the busy Zone 1 stations making them partially step-free during 2022, these will include Bank on the Northern line and DLR Interchange only and Paddington for the Bakerloo line only.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London said:
“The improvements at Sudbury Hill station will make a huge difference for all those using it, from the modernised ticket hall and improved signage to step-free access for those who need it. It marks 90 Tube stations now being step-free, which is an inspiring milestone – and we continue to work to make the capital's public transport network accessible to all.”
Esther Sharples, London Underground's Director of Asset Performance and Capital Delivery, said:
“Sudbury Hill Tube station becoming step-free is another milestone in our pledge to make the Underground network more accessible and a further boost to Piccadilly line customers after Osterley and Ickenham also became step-free earlier this year. People with reduced mobility, including those with children in buggies or carrying heavy luggage, can now access the Tube with greater ease at Sudbury Hill, improving their journeys.”
Cllr Graham Henson, Leader of Harrow Council, said:
“Making the underground more accessible at Sudbury Hill will be life-changing for many of our residents and we thank the Mayor of London for the investment to make this happen.”
A consultation was launched by TfL which is aimed to shape future step-free access priorities for the London Underground network and will run until the 10th of February 2022. To find out more about the consultation or to take part please visit:
https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/tube-step-free-access
One person who would like to see new lifts at Sudbury Hill is Geoff Marshall.