Mothers with prams also struggle on London's Underground
Abi Mowbray & Rosie Duffield
Step-free tube access looks set to become the recession’s latest casualty, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, says cost is the cause.
Green Park tube station is currently undergoing a £97million renovation to make it more accessible. Gareth Bacon, a Conservative member of the London Assembly, questioned Johnson on the value of the renovations in the midst of “the worst recession in 80 years” at Mayor’s Question Time this morning.
Johnson said, “We don’t, in the current circumstances have the money… (step-free access) remains my objective, but we can’t deliver now.”
More pressing matters
Bacon grilled the Mayor on his decision to continue on with renovations whilst there are “more pressing matters” to spend the money on.
He went on to accuse the Mayor of funding “an expensive gesture pretending to solve a problem.”
Bacon criticises step free access in general and believes that few stations allow disabled passengers to disembark, because of large gaps between platforms.
Nightmare travel
Disabled Ben Parkin, 21, has found his own way around the problem. A regular passenger on the Tube, he bought his own ramp at a cost of £100 to make accessing the trains easier. He describes getting around on the Underground as a “nightmare” and is “limited” in where he can go.
The Mayor described his verdict to push through the Green Park scheme, as “a difficult decision”. So far, Green Park has cost £34million, which he argued would be “lost” if building work stopped and the remaining money spent elsewhere.
Aspirations slashed
One in three of London’s tube stations were planned for renovation by 2013, however Johnson admitted that his former aspirations have been slashed.
Mark Demery, Head of External Relations at the Greater London Council (GLA) said, “The 2012 bid made great play of London’s ability to cater for Paralympics. Our job is to press to see that the commitment made in the bid is delivered.”
By Abi Mowbray and Rosie Duffield www.rosieduffield.wordpress.com
