Brent Cabinet this morning agreed a £5m payment towards the cost of step free access to to Alperton Station, mainly funded by Transport for London. The proposals are for lifts to the platforms rather than bringing the hidden escalator back into use. Other improvements include the toilets. The proposal will involve the loss of the barber shop at on the left of the station forecourt.
The Cabinet were told that the improvements were necessary because of the new building in the Alperton Growth Area increasing the densification of the area. Cllr Muhammed Butt claimed this was a good use of Strategic CIL contributed by developers to improve infrastucture in areas of development..
The Cabinet Report gives details:
The station has a disused escalator currently hidden from view which accesses the main ticket hall and formerly served the east bound platform. TfL is proposing to use this space to provide one of the platform lifts. Additional space made available on the east bound platform will include some updated waiting facilities.
Delivery of the lift for the west bound platform is more complicated, due to the limited public access only currently provided from the main ticket hall under the underground lines. This, which provides access to the stairs, cannot be modified to incorporate access to a lift. Creating an additional adjacent tunnel under the lines will be prohibitively expensive due to the made ground nature of the structure above. It would also be very disruptive possibly requiring line or station closure. So, TfL will instead use a tunnel structure that currently is made inaccessible on the eastern side by the commercial unit (barbers) currently visible on the station frontage. This commercial unit will need to be removed, and access provided through it from the main ticket hall to a lift. TfL will conduct appropriate negotiations with the current tenant. The shopfront feature will be retained.
In addition to these changes, to address current passenger flow capacity issues at peak times, the number of barrier gates will also be increased. Off the main ticket hall three toilets will also be provided, one of which will be of accessible design, and all of which will incorporate baby changing facilities.
Alperton Liberal Demcrats put out a press release claiming the decision was a win for their campaigning:
The Liberal Democrats are celebrating a major win for Alperton as Brent Council has finally approved a long-overdue upgrade to Alperton Underground Station.
Thanks to years of persistent campaigning— by Liberal Democrat Councillors in Brent and Lib Dem London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari — Alperton Station is now set for a transformational refurbishment including:
● Step-free access to make the station fully accessible for everyone, including those with mobility issues, parents with buggies, and older passengers.
● Increased number of ticket gates to ease overcrowding and reduce daily congestion at peak times.
● Upgraded, fully accessible toilet facilities for a safer, more dignified experience for all passengers
The works are projected to start in 2026, and be completed in 2027. Current plans assume the station will be able to remain open.
Alperton councillor, Charlie Clinton said:
This is a huge win for local residents who’ve been ignored for too long. Alperton has been the site of hundreds of new flats, and while we do need more homes, this has strained local services to the limit. These upgrades are way past due.
25 comments:
"Upgraded, fully accessible toilet facilities for a safer, more dignified experience for all passengers" - let's hope they don't end up like the ones at Wembley Central station which have been 'temporarily' closed for repairs for over 2 years!!!
Why weren't there any Wembley Central Councillors at the Brent Connects Wembley meeting tonight - a fairly important meeting for the area they are elected and paid to represent?
Us residents were hoping they would help us with some issues but not a single one of them attended.
Alperton Bus Garage is an enormous missed opportunity for development of an integrated transport system comprising a modernised tube station and bus station, with full disabled access, pick-up and drop-off areas, lavatories etc.
Alperton residents, and Brent more widely, have once again been comprehensively let down and failed by a complete lack of vision.
.
Long gone are the days when the elected representatives actually cared about the residents even listened to the issues, now they just care about themselves and the £££s they get for doing basically very little.
The majority of Councillors representing the Wembley Wards were notable at Brent Connects by their absence, but that's nothing new is it. However, we did have Cllrs Akram, Hylton, Moeen, Chohan in attendance and an interloper from Willesden Green, Cllr Choudry.
Where were the other councillors, missing were: Clinton, Matin, Bajwa, Collymore, Kennelly, Benea, Lorber, Krupa Sheth, Muhammed Butt, Seelan, Ketan Sheth, Shah, Ahmadi Moghaddam, Smith and Afzal?
Residents who attended were obviously short changed by their councillors yet again.
Get with the times and use email? They’re responsive enough via that. Connects meetings are on the whole a waste of time (as has been stated on this blog many, many times before).
Not really anyone’s campaign success when it’s been obvious for years given it’s a direct line to Heathrow. Last I heard Labour London Assembly Member Krupesh Hirani was championing it, but that won’t be reported here. Each to their own.
You’d think the LDs would attend if they were as instrumental as they claim in getting this done
Clinton, Matin
Clinton, Matin, Lorber - why not mention them
I was at a meeting of Sudbury Residents discussing the Neighbourhood Plan for the area. Unfortunately and with the best will in the world I cannot be in two places at once - but Thank You for asking.
Quite a busy Monday really - Council General Purposes Committee first thing in the morning, than a rush back to Barham Park to discuss building issues with Council property people, than dealing with loads of casework and local issues, 3 to 6p.m. volunteering at Barham Community Library, then more case work and finally the Sudbury residents' meeting.
A good investment by the Labour administration in improving public transport access for Alperton residents. Nothing to do with the Lib Dem’s, despite their dodgy press releases.
How is this a 'direct' route to Heathrow?
As a local resident I recall Dawn Butler posing outside this station 10 years ago when Labour made a promise to upgrade this station during some long past election. Lib Dem Councillors have been campaigning for years for the mountain of money Brent collects from Developments in Alperton to be actually invested in Alperton. Labour have created massive traffic congestion and parking problems in Alperton with all their Tower Blocks so it is about time that some of the money was invested locally. There is at least another £20 million that Alperton should get but probably won't under this incompetent Labour run Council.
Our three Wembley Central Councillors certainty don't respond to emails!
They do to me and my neighbours - you need to stop acting as though you speak for everyone.
Alperton to Acton (lifts) to Heathrow on the Piccadilly
Well this money is coming predominantly from tfl anyway
With one change at Acton it’s hardly indirect - get a grip.
Piccadilly
We do speak for hundreds of others that they do not respond to either!!!
As local residents we do know that Lib Dems have been instrumental in getting accessibility improvements at Alperton Station - Labour should not claim all the credit for this.
Just because they make some noise it doesn’t mean they’re actually pushing anything forward - how can you, realistically, if you’re not in power anywhere.
Alperton > Acton > Heathrow
Who is we and how do you know for a fact you speak for hundreds - if you’re so sure of yourself why not comment with your name and/or community organisation?
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