Residents frustrated by inaccessibility of Putney Bridge station

Putney Bridge Station remains completely inaccessible despite years of public protests and political attention, residents argue.

A key link on the District Line, Putney Bridge provides residents access to the rest of London and serves matchday crowds heading to Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage.

Yet the station has no step-free access, with three flights of steps separating the platforms from street level. 

This lack of accessibility presents a serious challenge for those with mobility issues, the elderly, families with young children and those with heavy luggage.

Geoff Hadwick, 67, secretary of the Fulham Disabled Supporters Association, said: “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

Transport for London (TfL)’s new accessibility shortlist for stations will be announced in October, setting out which stations will qualify for a ‘feasibility study’ for accessibility upgrades. 

Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, said: “We are committed to doing all we can to make sure that London’s transport network is as accessible and inclusive as possible.

“The Mayor has set an ambitious target for half of the Tube network to be step-free by 2030.”

Chelsea and Fulham MP, Ben Coleman described the station as an accessibility nightmare and labelled it the least accessible station on the network.

The Labour MP has urged residents to sign his petition and share their experiences.

Nevertheless, Coleman praised TfL’s broader accessibility campaign.

He said: “I am impressed with TfL. Despite the financial pressures they’re facing, they are still pushing ahead with accessibility.”

Putney Bridge is a busy station, with an estimated five million passengers every year.

It serves not only the Fulham FC faithful, but visitors to the Thames riverside, Fulham Palace and the annual Boat Race.

Match days are particularly difficult for all those with mobility issues, with thousands of supporters funnelled down temporary metal stairways.

The nearest accessible stations to Putney Bridge are Fulham Broadway (1.3 miles) and Southfields (2.4 miles).

These both involve crossing congested, busy roads. 

Miriam Busani, 62, a St John’s Ambulance volunteer who has a two-year petition for improvements at Putney Bridge, said:  “It’s appalling.

“We can put a man on the moon and you can get a coffee delivered to your front door, but you can’t access your local tube station in 2025.”

The ultimate goal for campaigners is the installation of a disabled lift at the station. Not only would this open up the tube, but also the adjoining bus station, extending access across the community.

In 2024, Transport for London released its plans to make 12 new stations completely accessible.

Putney Bridge is currently on the ‘long list’ of 30 stations awaiting accessibility upgrades.

Mark Davies, Head of the Fulham DSA, claimed: “It’s a fight between the stations on the long list and the short list. There’s a limited amount of money to be spent.”

The continuing inaccessibility at Putney Bridge presents a serious challenge to Putney’s large number of disabled residents.

According to the 2024 TfL Customer Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA), 15% of East Putney residents have a disability that affects their day-to-day activities yet East Putney station, like Putney Bridge, is step-only.

An accessible Tube network is an essential factor in providing disabled Londoners with equality in their personal and professional lives. 

Dr Maryam Zonouzi, long-term Fulham resident, wheelchair user and former Chair of Greater London Action on Disability, claimed: “There is a rhetoric of making London accessible, but the funding rarely follows through to make that happen.

“This lack of accessibility will harm the general perception of the economic activity and the broader role of disabled people in society.

“Making things accessible isn’t just for disabled people. We all get older, and many of us will face mobility issues. This isn’t a marginal problem.”

Currently, only a third of London Underground’s 272 stations (93) have disabled access from street to platform level, but even fewer provide access to every platform or between every Tube line.

At the current upgrade rate of just over two stations per year since 1995, it will take 78 years for the London Underground to become fully accessible.