Mapping the Development of

Step-free Access Across

London’s Rail Network

Step-Free London

Mapping the Development of

Step-free Access Across

London’s Rail Network

“… Go DfT, give us nothing!”

North Greenwich (hump)

I realise it has been a very long time since my previous post, and I’ve blown past all the deadlines I had planned for this next post. However, the truth is the past few months have been an almost complete disaster for the future prospects of step-free access in London, and overwhelmingly negative for public… Continue reading “… Go DfT, give us nothing!”

Enjoying the Accessibility Boom While It Lasts

I’ve started writing this blog post on a ferry towards Bilbao, Spain. We will be on a much-needed holiday with family, as well as assessing the accessibility of even more Spanish cities. But looking back on the summer in London thus far, we have seen significant progress with regarding to step-free access schemes. As expected,… Continue reading Enjoying the Accessibility Boom While It Lasts

Taking Inventory and Doing the Dirty Work Yourself

With summer being in full swing now, the easing of COVID restrictions, still tentatively planned for 19th July, is not the only thing set to improve the ease of mobility around London. With a packed schedule of step-free access works nearing completion from now until the end of 2022, we should make the most of… Continue reading Taking Inventory and Doing the Dirty Work Yourself

Spring Cleaning: New Map and New Journeys

Apologies for the long period since my last post. If you have been checking out the SfL Map recently, you may have noticed significant changes in its design. A small design change to better capture cross-platform interchanges and to fix the scaling of the c2c railway lines somehow snowballed into a massive redevelopment of every… Continue reading Spring Cleaning: New Map and New Journeys

TfL’s Approaching Accessibility Cliff Edge

With the continuing effects of the pandemic on TfL’s finances and the insufficient emergency government funding, we are about to reach a cliff edge with regards to future improvements schemes, including accessibility. As Crossrail wraps up and other schemes like the Bank Station Upgrade, Northern Line Extension, Barking Riverside station, and funded step-free schemes are… Continue reading TfL’s Approaching Accessibility Cliff Edge

A Fresh Start to the New Year

Happy Belated New Year, everyone (and Happy Chinese New Year too as it’s taking me so long to write this post)! After a horrible 2020, this year has the potential to be a marked improvement. With the COVID-19 vaccine programme in full swing (Jon got his first dose yesterday), we can hopefully expect to return… Continue reading A Fresh Start to the New Year

Disappointing News for a Disappointing Year

I must apologize for the long periods between posts this year. With the continued pandemic, economic uncertainty and second lockdown, most rail and accessibility-related news recently has been incredibly disappointing. Even positive news such as completed Crossrail stations and the upcoming Northern Line Extension is tempered by the underhand funding cut to the DfT’s railway… Continue reading Disappointing News for a Disappointing Year

Step-Free Does Not Always Mean Step-Free

Relatively speaking, this has been a positive week for accessibility in London, with the expansion of step-free access stations after a long dormancy and visible progress on some of the ongoing accessibility schemes. As TfL’s financial situation is still unclear, it is becoming more apparent that the most ”secure” step-free access schemes are those tied… Continue reading Step-Free Does Not Always Mean Step-Free

Pandemic’s Legacy

With the free-fall in passenger numbers and project delays related to the lockdown, we are now beginning to see the damage that this will have on the future accessibility of London’s railway network. While TfL has long had financial troubles and Network Rail’s Access for All scheme is no stranger to delays, cancellations, and deferments,… Continue reading Pandemic’s Legacy

Updates from Lockdown

I thought it would be a good idea to do a wide-ranging post covering some of the recent developments in railway accessibility. Even though I have not been on a train in almost 4 months now, it is good to see that the industry is still moving ahead with its projects. Hopefully this means that… Continue reading Updates from Lockdown