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Passengers' fury at Tube station closure
Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor01.02.08
Thousands of passengers have protested at plans to close a busy Tube station for eight months to speed up its redevelopment for the benefit of a neighbouring shopping centre.
Labour MP Andy Slaughter says he has been inundated with complaints from Central line passengers about the closure of Shepherd's Bush station from midnight tonight.
He said there is also growing outrage that the refurbishment of the station - part of £170million of improvements funded by White City shopping centre developer Westfield - fail to include disabled access to the platforms, contrary to pledges from Ken Livingstone to help wheelchair users.
Work to enlarge the ticket hall by knocking down the 1908 station facade - built as part of that year's London Olympics at White City - and enlarge the ticket hall needs to be done by October when the shopping centre opens.
Originally Transport for London proposed to do this while keeping open the station, which is used by 22,000 people a day. But after pressure from Westfield, and fears that the refit was months behind schedule following the collapse of maintenance firm Metronet, it agreed to close the station to speed up the work.
TfL has also brought forward by four years plans to replace the station's two ageing escalators.
Mr Slaughter estimates that about 7,000 people have written to him or signed petitions about the closure, which they want postponed until other transport improvements are in place. These include a new overground station beside the shopping centre, a new Tube station in Wood Lane and two bus stations.
The MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush, said: "My constituents are more concerned about having a station than Westfield's enhanced profits."
Richard Parry, London Underground's strategy director, said: "We have reluctantly agreed to close this station for eight months because it means the works can be accelerated."
A TfL spokeswoman said there were "still plans" to install lifts, but the work presented "engineering challenges".
Reader views (7)
There is never usually this fuss made over other station closures. When Queensway was shut (for far longer too) we just walked to Lancaster Gate and got the Circle to South Kensington. The work has to be done. At least we will have a connection to the Overground
- Dave, London
I use Holland Park station every day for my commute. This morning was a complete nightmare as hundreds of Sherperds Bush users arrived on buses and crammed into Holland Park station. The station is very small with only 3 ticket barriers (one of which is usually out of action) and two lifts. The crowd this morning was ridiculous and probably unsafe. LUL have clearly not thought out the knock on effect of closing SB station. This is really unacceptable.
- Simon, London
When was London Undergound ever run for the benefit of its customers? I'm well over 60, and it was long before my time.
- Lezl, London
I use this station the whole time. However, I can easily walk to Goldhawk Road or White City. It's no big deal. It seems like this MP is making a fuss out of nothing.
- Will, Shepherds Bush
I'm not quite sure about why so much of a fuss is being made, as it isn't an altogether unpleasant or particularly lengthy walk to Holland Park tube station from Shepherd's Bush - yes it's never great when a station's closed, but it's hardly the end of the world that some seem to be making out... there was never this much fuss when Queensway or Regent's Park were closed.
- Neil Evans, Notting Hill
Don't forget that all the cycle parking has been cancelled because bikes "may be bombs" and that the half the trains on the overground route are being axed too. (Watford to Gatwick)
Westfield is getting everything it wants and the locals are losing out
- Marc, Hammersmith
What other badly needed tube upgrade work is being delayed to fit the needs of an Australian property company? Add in more broken promises from Ken and the destruction of a previous London olympic legacy.
- Matt, London
