Passengers at a busy South London railway station face a prolonged wait for vital accessibility improvements after the Government confirmed it will not fund planned upgrades in the immediate future.
Funding Snub for Accessibility Project
South Croydon station, which serves thousands of daily users on the Brighton Mainline, has been informed that its proposed accessibility project does not meet the criteria for delivery under the current round of the Access for All (AfA) programme. The station was one of 19 across the country told their projects would not progress.
The planned upgrades would have created an obstacle-free, step-free route from the station entrance to its raised platforms. However, following feasibility work on 50 stations announced by the previous government in May 2024, ministers stated they would only commit to projects deemed affordable and offering value for money.
A Government spokesperson explained that prioritisation considered station footfall, a geographic spread across Great Britain, existing technical work, and third-party funding. While South Croydon met some criteria, officials cited a lack of prior technical development and external funding contributions as key reasons for the setback.
Charity Warns of Real-World Dangers
The decision has sparked serious concern from organisations representing disabled travellers. Erik Matthies, Policy Lead for Travel and Transport at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), labelled the news as "disappointing".
"Many stations lack basic accessibility features that make travel accessible," Mr Matthies told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "Steps and stairs increase trip hazards and injury risk for blind and partially sighted people, even to the point of preventing them from using a station altogether. This causes stress. Often staff are not available at train stations, which adds to the problem."
He urged the Government to reverse its decision and implement the promised changes at all stations lagging in modern accessibility standards.
Political Reaction and Future Hope
In a letter to Croydon South MP Chris Philp, Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy indicated that a future round of AfA funding, potentially included in the next Spending Review, could still deliver full or partial upgrades for South Croydon. He also suggested exploring local funding options like Section 106 contributions to strengthen any future bid.
Responding to the decision, Conservative MP Chris Philp said he believed the Labour Government had "let South Croydon down" by not backing the project, adding that "these works would have improved the station a great deal."
While South Croydon passengers were told to wait, several other London stations received positive news. The Department for Transport confirmed that accessibility projects at Dalston Kingsland, Gunnersbury, Kew Bridge, Kidbrooke, and Raynes Park are moving to the detailed design phase.
Since its launch in 2006, the Access for All programme has delivered step-free routes at more than 270 stations across Great Britain. For now, the journey to accessibility at South Croydon remains on hold.
