Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh has launched a petition calling on the Department for Transport to provide £45m for step-free access at Peckham Rye station, one of London's busiest interchanges. The station currently handles almost six million passengers annually, making it the busiest interchange in the country without step-free access.
Petition launched to secure funding
In a video posted to X, Fahnbulleh, who also serves as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, announced the petition to 'make Peckham Rye accessible'. The £45m would fund lifts and step-free access throughout the station, as well as wider improvements. The station is already undergoing renovation, with work to restore the booking hall to its '19th century character', install more barrier gates, and refurbish platform toilets.
Fahnbulleh said in a now-deleted tweet: "South London is a place that is always changing. Every day, thousands of people pass through here, but not everyone can do it as easily. The solution isn't complicated. £45m - that's what we are asking for from the Department of Transport to invest in step-free access because this community has waited long enough."
Long-standing campaign for lifts
Campaigns for lifts at the station have been running for years. In August 2023, Network Rail received Planning Consent from Southwark Council for a major proposal including new lifts and staircases to all platforms, accessible toilets, larger gate lines and entrances, and improved integration with the surrounding public realm. However, those proposals were not funded in the June 2025 Spending Review and are currently on hold.
A former councillor described it as 'ludicrous' that the station lacks lift access. The petition aims to demonstrate the strength of demand for a fully accessible station.
Mixed reactions online
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions online. Some questioned why a Labour MP would need a petition while the party is in power. One person wrote: "45m to make Peckham Rye Station step-free when Queens Road Peckham is already step-free and barely half a mile away. If the aim is accessibility, is £45m really the best use of £45m — or just an extraordinarily expensive way of avoiding a short journey between two stations?"
The booking hall and platform works are set to be completed in summer 2027. If the funding is approved, a full upgrade, including step-free access, could be implemented.
