Passengers can now benefit from step-free access to both platforms at Isleworth station after completing a £3m upgrade of the station and the surrounding area, funded by Hounslow Council and Network Rail.
Published: Friday, 26th July 2024
The newly upgraded station was formally opened by the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Karen Smith, alongside representatives from Network Rail, South Western Railway (SWR) and Hounslow Council.
The station now boasts two new lifts on either side of the raised platforms, making use of the existing subway, thanks to a £1m investment from Hounslow Council and funding from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) ‘Access for All’ scheme (via Network Rail), which is used to create an obstacle-free, accessible route from the station entrance to the platforms.
The Council has also worked to improve cycle access to the station from St John’s Road. The Council is currently consulting with station users about upgrades that will further enhance accessibility and safety following a feasibility study funded by the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund.
The proposed measures include new street furniture, cycle parking, wayfinding and planting to improve the surrounding public realm.
Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex Route Director, said:
We’re working constantly to remove barriers to make the railway easier to use for everyone. So I’m delighted that all platforms now have direct step-free access as part of the Access for All scheme at Isleworth station.
We welcome the continued investment from the DfT to support us in making even more stations fully accessible and we have a number of other stations across our Southern region that are currently being upgraded or about to benefit from accessibility improvements in the coming months. We are also grateful for the support of Hounslow Council to improve access to the station and the enthusiasm with which they are supporting the railway.
We would like to thank passengers and local residents for their patience and understanding while we carried out this work and we hope passengers enjoy this newly upgraded station and surrounding area.
Isleworth station, which is situated on the Hounslow loop, first opened in 1850 and in the past year saw 780,000 passengers start or end their journey*. The improvements at Isleworth station are part of a wider scheme of upgrades to a number of stations across Network Rail’s Southern region, helping make the railway more accessible for all.
Cllr Katherine Dunne, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport, said:
We are thrilled to see the installation of accessible lifts at Isleworth Station. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to make public transport more inclusive and accessible for all residents.
As part of this work, we have conducted accessibility audits at all national rail and TfL stations in the borough. We are working with the operators on improvement plans.
We are pleased to say Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury stations have been awarded Access for All funding for us to explore the possibility of step-free access.
These improvements will make travelling easier for individuals with disabilities, parents with strollers, and older people, ensuring that everyone can move around our community with greater ease and independence.
