With over 35,000 passengers squeezing through every weekday, West Hampstead is the second busiest tube station in Camden, outside of zone one.
Figures released by Transport for London show the number of people using West Hampstead Underground Station increased 50% in the last five recorded years, from less than 7.5 million in 2010 to more than 11 million by 2015.
For years, local community groups have been calling for the station to be expanded, and especially for the installation of a lift for elderly and disabled passengers, and for parents with small children.
Although the Mayor of London controls a £200 million fund for providing step-free access to stations, West Hampstead has just been passed over by the latest round of spending. Instead, TfL has announced that the funding will go to six much less busy stations, such as Mill Hill East which gets only 1.3 million passengers per year.
Transport for London has previously said remodelling West Hampstead station, to install a lift and to ease the daily overcrowding at the entrance, would be too expensive without a financial contribution from Camden Council.
West Hampstead resident and local Conservative candidate David Brescia says: “Our tube station is overcrowded because of the many new local developments that Camden Council has approved. The Council receives money from developers, intended for improving local infrastructure to cope with the added pressure;
too much of this has been spent on projects in other wards.
It’s very disappointing that TfL and Camden Council couldn’t come together to prioritise this issue, and future funding must be used to improve access to West Hampstead Underground Station.”
The Conservatives support the drive for step-free access, and we urge TfL, and Camden Council, to reconsider prioritising our area in their spending plans. Please sign our petition asking TfL to reconsider their decision at https://tinyurl.com/WestHampsteadTubeRedevelopment
West Hampstead and Fortune Green Local Conservative Action Team
David Brescia: 07590 049435 [email protected]
Ian Cohen: 07973 869117 [email protected]
Maria Higson: 07545588953 [email protected]
Axel Kaae: 07437578735 [email protected]
Mohammed Salim: 07904100173 [email protected]