Escalating costs of Shepherds Bush lifts challenged

by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
17/07/2008

Hammersmith and Fulham Council is challenging Transport for London (TfL) over fears that escalating costs could scupper plans for a lift at Shepherds Bush Underground station.

The council understands that, due to buried water mains, sewers, gas pipes and electricity cables, it could cost up to £100 million to dig the shaft necessary for the lifts. The lift itself will cost a fraction of that at just £1million.

The council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Nicholas Botterill, has met with Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy, to grill him over the detail.

The Central Line station has been closed for refurbishment works since February and, although the new lifts were not due to be installed in the current revamp, councillors have reminded TfL of their intention to put them in at a future date.

Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, H&F Council Leader, says: “When the Westfield shopping centre opens in October, Shepherds Bush station is expected to have an additional 70,000 passengers coming through it every week. This is the equivalent of an FA Cup Final every week and it is inconceivable in the 21st Century that you would re-vamp a station without putting in step free access.”

In March, following pressure from H&F Council and Hammersmith & Fulham Action on Disability (HAFAD), TfL announced plans to get around the engineering problems by sinking the lift shaft and horizontal passage down deeper, with a second lift taking people up to the platforms, instead of down. At the time, TfL said it was close to getting the project signed off by its board, but no decision was taken.

TfL says the plan to install lifts is ‘still under consideration’ but the council is concerned that the £100 million figure mooted could threaten the work.

Councillor Greenhalgh added: “TfL promised us that they would look into every possible way to put step free access in Shepherds Bush Station at a reasonable cost. We hope that this hugely inflated figure is not some kind of smokescreen or way of softening up local opinion.

“No one actually believes that it costs £100million to build a lift, even if there are some engineering challenges. People with mobility problems, including mums with push chairs and our elderly and disabled residents, are demanding access to the new Underground station and we will continue to lobby TfL hard on this.”