Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury Move Closer to Being Step-free
Government announces funding for detailed design at both stations
The stairs at Gunnersbury (left) and Kew Bridge (right)
January 15, 2026
Two stations in the Chiswick area are closer to becoming step-free following an announcement this Thursday (15 January) by the government.
Both Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury will progress to the detailed design stage following earlier feasibility studies.
The decision was set out in a written statement to Parliament by Simon Lightwood MP, the Labour Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, as part of a national update on the Access for All (AfA) programme. Since 2006, AfA has delivered step-free routes at more than 270 stations across Britain.
Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury are among 23 stations nationwide that will now move into the detailed design phase — a key step toward full funding and construction. The announcement follows years of lobbying by local accessibility campaigners, Hounslow Council as well as local MPs and councillors from all parties.
Hounslow Council Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat welcomed the news saying, “We’ve been campaigning for this for years. The previous Tory government made false promises, writing cheques they couldn’t cash.
“With sustained pressure from this Labour Council, our two brilliant Labour MPs — as well as the tireless work of local community groups — this Labour Government is delivering for people in Chiswick.”
However, the advance to detailed design does not guarantee funding will be in place for an upgrade and Chiswick, for now, remains without a single step-free station. The written statement makes clear that future AfA schemes will depend heavily on third-party funding contributions, pre-existing technical work, and evidence of strong local benefit.
Those campaigning for increased accessibility at Turnham Green underground station and Chiswick station will be disappointed. For many residents — particularly wheelchair users, parents with buggies, older people and those with mobility impairments — this means large parts of the rail network remain effectively off-limits.
The government announced at the same time that eight projects would move straight to the delivery stage and work would not continue on 19 stations from across the country.
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