London Assembly Member James Small-Edwards has voiced frustration over Transport for London's (TfL) slow progress in upgrading Shepherd's Bush Market station in West London, which residents say has been neglected for decades. The station is in need of modernisation and cleaning, and a local campaign group is pushing for works including repainting a bridge connecting Shepherd's Bush Market with Goldhawk Road.
Repeated attempts yield little progress
Small-Edwards, who represents the West Central constituency, said he has been raising concerns with TfL for a considerable time but progress has been "frustratingly slow." He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "Despite repeated attempts, progress has been frustratingly slow, which is disappointing given the impact this is having on local residents."
TfL and council response
A TfL spokesperson previously stated that some works, such as cleaning graffiti off the bridge, had been completed, and that TfL is working with Hammersmith and Fulham Council to deliver further improvements. The council said it is working with the community and TfL to improve the bridge and hopes TfL will fund works to the station. The LDRS reported earlier that TfL had committed to repainting the crossing by the end of March, but the deadline passed with little action.
Campaign group demands action
Noor, head of the Fix Uxbridge Road campaign group, called the delays "embarrassing and unacceptable," adding that TfL should not make commitments only to quietly downgrade them. Small-Edwards said he has been lobbying TfL on behalf of locals and has been in contact with local councillors. He stated: "A neglected public realm can often undermine community confidence and contribute to antisocial behaviour and crime, which is why I will continue to press TfL to urgently deliver these improvements residents are crying out for."
Call for step-free access
A spokesperson for Fix Uxbridge Road said: "We want to work positively with TfL to make Shepherd's Bush Market station visually pleasing, modern and accessible for everyone. Residents have valuable local knowledge, and by working together we can create a station that we can be proud of and better serves its residents which also includes step-free access for wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs, people with heavy luggage and everyone who relies on public transport. We hope TfL will engage with the community and the council so we can help find practical solutions to modernise and improve the station visually and accessibly. TfL has spent around £120 million redeveloping South Kensington station, which was already in far better condition, while Shepherd’s Bush Market station has been overlooked for decades."
Resident's perspective
Emma Keeling, 54, a Shepherd’s Bush resident and wheelchair user, said the lack of step-free access means her partner has to push her to Wood Lane, an extra 15-minute journey. She said: "Across London, only around a third of Tube stations are wheelchair accessible, and in Shepherd's Bush the situation is even worse. There are five Tube stations serving the area, yet only one, Wood Lane, is step-free. Like Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush Market is an above-ground station, as are Goldhawk Road and White City, making accessibility improvements far more practical than at deep-level stations such as Shepherd's Bush Central Line station. Access to the platforms at Shepherd's Bush Market station is via two steep flights of stairs - installing lifts wouldn't just benefit wheelchair users, it would also benefit anyone with mobility issues, people with prams or those with heavy luggage, and many others who currently struggle to access the station."
Council and TfL statement
When asked for comment, a TfL spokesperson said things were in the same place as when the LDRS ran a previous story two months ago, and they are still waiting on the borough to confirm its plans. A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said: "Shepherds Bush Market Tube station serves as a gateway to Uxbridge Road and the wider area – as such, we want it to be a pleasant place for Hammersmith and Fulham residents and visitors. While we are working with the local community and TfL to deliver improvements to the bridge, we also want to see urgent improvements to the station. We have agreed with TfL that the council will repaint the bridge, and we hope TfL will reconsider and fund the repainting of the station. We hope both of these can progress soon."
