UK railways ‘Access for All’ audit
- Julian Vaughan
- Sep 10, 2024
- 6 min read
This is a blog covering the status of the UK railway stations provided with ‘Access for All’ (AfA) funding to provide step-free access. The ‘Access for All’ funding programme aims to provide an accessible route onto and between railway station platforms and was launched in 2006.
Since its launch, step-free routes have been provided at approximately 200 stations. It is often quoted that more than 75% of rail journeys are now through stations with step-free access. I view this as misleading as by definition this figure includes non-disabled people and makes no reference to the thousands of railway platforms across the UK that remain ‘no-go’ areas for disabled people.
The information below is divided into three sections.
Stations awarded AfA funding in 2014 for Control Period 5 (2014-2019).
The 27 stations awarded AfA funding in 2014, but deferred as a result of the ‘Hendy Report’ to Control Period 6.
Stations awarded AfA funding in 2019 for Control Period 6 (2019-2024)
The results make for grim reading, and some stations will be waiting for well over a decade after their original funding was agreed. Read more about these stations here: http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/08/09/a-decade-of-step-free-delay/
Any errors are mine alone and I do regard the below as a ‘live’ document. Please feel free to get in touch with any corrections.
You are welcome to email me at: ukrailaccessnetwork@gmail.com
I have linked to sources where available and I provide further resources and further reading at the bottom of this post. Completed projects are highlighted in green.
Regarding the stations awarded funding in 2019 for Control Period 6. I understand that following a ‘deep dive’ review into ‘AfA’ projects by the Department for Transport, the deadline for unfinished stations has been extended from 2024 to March 2026.
There is much discussion about the affordability of providing an accessible rail network. I discuss this in this blog: http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/07/16/can-we-afford-not-to-have-an-accessible-railway/
On to the data, starting with the stations awarded funding in 2014.
How are stations awarded ‘Access for All’ funding in 2014 progressing?
Station | Completion Status and Comments |
Teddington | Works due to start September 2023 and finish Spring 2024. |
Crawley | Complete. |
Palmers Green | Due for completion mid 2024 |
Coulsdon South | Complete. |
Shortlands | Due for completion in Spring 2025. |
Plumstead | Complete March 2024 – National Rail Enquiries Map is out of date. |
Selhurst | Complete. |
Carshalton | Complete August 2019. |
Canterbury East | Complete. |
Bexley | Lifts are open, although the National Rail Map shows no lifts at the station. |
Ewell West | Complete. |
Alexandra Palace | Due for completion by Spring 2025. |
Tring | Complete in 2020 – cost £5.8m. |
Stetchford | Complete, but incorrect information on the National Rail Map.Notified in October 24 and January 25 |
Meols | Complete 2020. |
Mills Hill | Complete 2020. |
Torquay | Status Unknown. |
Totnes | Complete. |
Scunthorpe | Complete although lifts only open during staffed hours – therefore should be classed as a B2 station rather than a Category A station. There are 5 W/B trains towards Doncaster after 20.00 when the station staffing is withdrawn. |
Headingley | Completed in May 2019, although the national Rail Enquiries map still does not show the lifts at the station. |
Taffs Well | Lifts due to be completed imminently. |
Treherbert | Status Unknown |
How are stations awarded ‘Access for All’ funding in 2014, but then deferred to Control Period 6 (2019-2024) progressing?
As of Sep 2023, work is due to start Spring 2024. | TRAIN OPERATING COMPANY | Completion Date | Comments |
ALFRETON | East Midlands Railway | At March 2023 – Due Spring/Summer 2024 | TOC emailed for comment, no reply |
BARNE S | South Western Railway | Due early 2024, delayed to end of 2024. | Cost £5.7 million |
BARRY (TOWN ) | Transport for Wales | Opened July 2022 | |
BATTERSEA PARK | Southern | No firm date for completion – estimate end of 2026. | As of Sep 23, cost estimate £20 million – £4m from AfA, the rest from developers’ contributions. |
CATHAYS | Transport for Wales | Lifts currently being built, estimated completion early 2025 | |
CHATHAM | Southeastern | Opened September 2022 | Cost £5.8 million |
GARFORTH | Northern | Lifts due to open August 2024. | Cost £6 million‘Beacon’ Bridge – no further news re completion. |
GRAYS | c2c | Work due to start Jan 2024 and take 12 months. | No ORR station categorisation. |
HITHER GREEN | Southeastern | No information on completion | 3.3m passengers annually. |
LIVERPOOL CENTRAL | Merseyrail | Lifts opened | |
LLANELLI | Transport for Wales | Lifts currently being built | |
LUTON | Thameslink | As of Sep 2023, work due to start Spring 2024. | |
MARKET HARBOROUGH | East Midlands Railway | Lifts opened | National Rail Enquiries station map (or description) does not indicate the station has lifts. |
NORTHALLERTON | Trans Pennine Express | Opened March 2022 | |
PECKHAM RYE | Southern | Work due to start 2026 | |
PETTS WOOD | Southeastern | Lifts opened early 2024 | Cost £10.79m |
QUEEN’S PARK | London Underground | Delayed – No clear data available | |
SEVEN SISTERS | London Overground | No data available | |
SOUTHEND EAST | c2c | No data available | |
ST MARY CRAY | Southeastern | Lifts opened February 2022 | |
STREATHAM | Southern | Lifts opened December 2023 | |
THEALE | Great Western Railway | Work due to be completed either Winter 23/24 or Spring 2024 depending on source. | Cost £9.5m |
TREFFOREST | Transport for Wales | No data available | Currently classed as B2 station as per ORR classification. |
WALTON-on-THAMES | South Western Railway | Lifts Open | Classed as B2 station due to steep gradient of ramp to platform 1. |
WARWICK | Chiltern | Work currently paused | Work paused due to finding foundations of original station. |
WESTON-SUPER-MARE | Great Western Railway | Plans submitted in June 2023 | |
WORCESTER SHRUB HILL | West Midlands Railway | Work is due to be completed by the end of 2023. No lifts working at present. | Currently classified as a B3 station |
How are stations awarded ‘Access for All’ funding in 2019 (Control Period 6) progressing?
S | Train Operating Company | Progress | C |
ABERGAVENNY | Transport for Wales | Due to complete Early 2025 | NR press release. |
ANNIESLAND | ScotRail | Due to complete Sep 2024 | email from ScotRail.Update now open October 2024. |
BEACONSFIELD | Chiltern | No Data found | |
BEESTON | East Midlands Railway | Due to complete Autumn 2024 | Added March 2020 Budget |
BIGGLESWADE | Great Northern | Originally due to be complete in late 2022. Now no completion date.*Update* Now due for completion December 2025. | |
BIRKENHEAD PARK | Works complete | ||
BRIDLINGTON | Works complete | ||
BROAD GREEN | Northern | Closed for refurb until Winter 2024 | |
CAERPHILLY | Transport for Wales | No Data found | |
CATFORD | Works complete | ||
CHALKWELL | c2c | Delayed to 2026 | |
CHORLEY | Northern | Due to be completed in August 2024 – no update found in Jan 2025. | |
CRICKLEWOOD | Thameslink | In development – delayed in March 2024 | Source: NR Access for All Map |
CROWBOROUGH | Works complete £4.7m | ||
CROY | Works complete | ||
CWMBRAN | Transport for Wales | Due to be completde by late Summer/ end of Autumn 2024 depending on which press release you read. | |
DAISY HILL | Northern | Due to complete Dec 2024/April 2025 | |
DUMFRIES | Works complete | ||
EAGLESCLIFFE | Northern | Due to complete Autumn 2025 | Added March 2020 Budget |
EAST GRINSTEAD | Southern | Works Complete Sep 22 £4.5m | Added March 2020 Budget |
ERIDGE | Works Complete | Added March 2020 Budget | |
FLINT | Transport for Wales | Due to complete by end of 2024 | |
FLITWICK | Thameslink | No firm date for completion | Added March 2020 Budget |
HACKNEY DOWNS | London Overground | As of Aug 2024 work not started | |
HANDFORTH | Northern | Due to be complete early 2026 | |
HERNE BAY | Southeastern | Due to complete Winter 2024 | |
HERTFORD NORTH | Great Northern | In development – due Jan 2025 | |
HILLSIDE | Works complete | ||
HUNT’S CROSS | Works complete | ||
IRLAM | Northern | Due to complete Jan 2025/May 2025 | |
ISLEWORTH | Works complete | ||
JOHNSTONE | Works complete | ||
KINGS LANGLEY | London Northwestern Railway | 3 Lifts ‘in development’ – no data | |
LEATHERHEAD | Southern | Due to complete Spring 2025 £6.2m | |
LUDLOW | Transport for Wales | Due to complete Sep 2024 | |
MENSTON | Northern | Due to complete Feb 2025 | |
MILL HILL BROADWAY | Thameslink | No work started as of March 2024. | |
NEWTOWN | Transport for Wales | Due to be completed by Autumn 2024/ end of 2024. | |
PORT GLASGOW | Works Complete | Finished Dec 2023 | |
RETFORD | Works complete | ||
SELBY | TransPennine Express | Due to complete June 2023 | Awaiting update from Network Rail: email sent 10/09/2024*Update 19th September – lifts opened on Monday 16th September. |
SHOTTON | Transport for Wales | No data available. Not step-free as per National Rail Accessibility Map 15.01.2025. | Awaiting update from Network Rail: email sent 10/09/2024 no update received. |
SMETHWICK ROLFE STREET | West Midlands Railway | Work due to be finished July 2022 | Awaiting update from Network Rail: email sent 10/09/2024*Update 11th September – the station lifts opened in Sep 2022. The data on the Access Map and NRE website map does not show any lifts. I have raised this with WMR. |
ST ERTH | Great Western Railway | Due to complete in Spring 2024. As of 15.01.2024 not completed. | |
SOUTH CROYDON | Southern | No data | Added March 2020 Budget |
ST MICHAELS | Works complete | ||
STONELEIGH | South Western Railway | Due to complete Summer 2024 | |
STOWMARKET | Greater Anglia | Work due to start September 2023 – Modular design | |
TENBY | Transport for Wales | ‘In development’ – no further data | Awaiting update from Network Rail: email sent 10/09/2024 |
TODMORDEN | Northern | Under Construction | |
TOOTING | Thameslink | Due to be completed in Autumn 2024/January 2025 | Added March 2020 Budget |
UDDINGTON | Works complete | ||
WALKDEN | Northern | ‘In development’ – no further data.*Update -delayed by historic mineshaft found when doing prep work. | Added March 2020 Budget. |
WANDSWORTH TOWN | South Western Railway | ‘In development’ | Due to start on site in late 2024. |
WELLINGTON | West Midlands Railway | ‘In development’ – not started as of May 2024. | |
Julian Vaughan
10th September 2024 – and amended on various dates up to 15th January 2025
Sources and Further Reading:
Control Period 5 AfA Announcement: 29th April 2014 https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2014-04-29/debates/14042933000010/AccessForAll(Funding)
Control Period 6 AfA Announcement: 4th April 2019 https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/access-for-all-73-stations-set-to-benefit-from-additional-funding
Control Period 7 AfA Announcement: 29th May 2024 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railway-stations-awarded-access-for-all-accessibility-funding
Starmer, Rail Accessibility and Tanni GT: 1st September 2024 http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/09/01/starmer-rail-accessibility-and-tanni-gt/
Access for All: Nominated stations for Control Period 7 – 310 were nominated, of which 50 were selected:http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/07/17/access-for-all-nominated-stations/
Actions, not words needed on rail accessibility: 30th April 2024 http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/04/30/actions-not-words-needed-on-rail-accessibility/
An open letter to Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines: http://julianvaughan.blog/2024/05/03/an-open-letter-to-network-rail-ceo-andrew-haines/
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