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Friday 31 Jan 2025

Motspur Park station receives accessibility upgrades in its centenary year

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Ahead of its 100^th birthday in July, Motspur Park has received an early birthday present by becoming the latest station on Network Rail’s Wessex route to become step free, following an £11.4m investment to improve accessibility.

A new covered footbridge has replaced the existing structure, providing step-free access via lifts or stairs to the central platform from both sides of the station. New lighting and security cameras have also been installed on and around the lifts and bridge. The station also has a new waiting room, accessible toilet and ticket office.

Network Rail has been working with South Western Railway (SWR) and the London Borough of Merton Council to deliver the enhancements, with the Council making a £690,000 contribution towards the scheme.

Motspur Park, situated in south west London, opened on 12 July 1925 and sits just off the South West Main Line. It serves as the junction between the Mole Valley Line towards Dorking and the Chessington branch line and 778,138 passengers used the station between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024*.

Motspur Park is also the closest station to Fulham FC’s training ground, where the club’s Academy and Women’s teams also play their matches. The club’s charitable arm, the Fulham FC Foundation, is also based at Motspur Park and their work encourages young people to get involved in sport and community activities.

These improvements have been funded by the Department for Transport’s (DfT) ‘Access for All’ scheme, which is used to create an obstacle free, accessible route from the station entrance to the platforms. This generally includes providing lifts or ramps, as well as associated works and refurbishment along the route.

Similar accessibility improvements at Stoneleigh, Barnes, Teddington and Farnborough North stations are also expected to open to passengers this year, further increasing the number of accessible stations across Network Rail’s Wessex route, which serves the towns and communities in part or all of the counties of Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire.

2025 marks the 200^th anniversary of the modern railway, inspired by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever. Under the banner of Railway 200, nationwide celebrations are planned throughout the year, showcasing how the railway shaped Britain and the world and how its pioneering pedigree continues today and is shaping tomorrow. Railway 200 encourages everyone to join in this once-in-a-generation opportunity, whether that’s by displaying the Railway 200 logo, organising events and activities, running competitions, or sharing rail stories.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “We’re working to make the railway easier to use for everyone so I’m delighted that the island platform at Motspur Park now has step-free access from both sides of the 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 Merton Council to improve access to the station and the enthusiasm in 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."

David Wilby, South Western Railway’s Regional Development Manager for the Metro Region: “We’re very pleased to be celebrating the opening of this new footbridge for Motspur Park station, alongside our colleagues at Network Rail.

 “Just as the arrival of the railway 100 years ago opened up links to new places and new opportunities, this new footbridge will unlock new opportunities for the local community by making the wider railway more accessible.

 “We’d like to thank the London Borough of Merton Council and the Department for Transport, for their support and for making this possible.”

Councillor Stephen Alambritis, Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We know that for many public transport users, accessibility makes the difference between going out or staying in. That’s why greater accessibility is one of our administration’s biggest transport priorities.

“Action speaks louder than words, so I’m overjoyed that we’ve been able to team up with Network Rail, SWR and DfT to deliver for those that live near, work in, or are visiting Motspur Park.

“The work doesn’t stop here. In the east of our borough, we look forward to opening the new lifts at Tooting station, and we’ll continue to work with our partners to see how we can make all our transport hubs accessible so that people can enjoy everything Merton has to offer.”

Paul Kohler, Member of Parliament for Wimbledon, said: “The new lift at Motspur Park station will be transformative for wheelchair and buggy users, and others with mobility issues, allowing them to travel with dignity and safety. 

“This is the latest achievement in our decade-long campaign to make all stations accessible to everyone across our community, and brings us one step closer to this goal. I want to thank those who have supported the Merton Liberal Democrats in this fight. Your voices have been a driving force towards inclusion and fairness. 

“Our work is far from over. We continue to push for step-free stations at Raynes Park, Wimbledon Chase, Malden Manor and Haydons Road. As we celebrate this milestone, I am committed to continuing to speak up for accessible local transport, building on this momentum to ensure nobody is left behind”

Mike McSweeney, Fulham FC Foundation CEO, said: “The vast improvement in making Motspur Park station more accessible is welcomed by everyone in our local community. There has been great collaboration between the London Borough of Merton Council, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and South Western Railway. The Fulham FC Foundation delivers a range of activities and outreach programmes in the local area and will certainly be of benefit to many of our supporters, visitors and participants.”

Octavius Infrastructure Framework Director Rail, Isayas Tecleberhan said: “Octavius is proud to have completed the Motspur Park AfA project alongside Network Rail, South Western Railway, local stakeholders, and our supply chain partners. This project has made the station more accessible and user-friendly.

“The project, as part of a contestability initiative, allowed us to leverage our AfA expertise, rethinking conventional construction methods, and incorporating valuable lessons learned. Our team maximised efficiencies and overcame significant challenges, ensuring a high-quality outcome within a narrow island platform in a busy urban environment. To minimise disruption a temporary footbridge ensured passenger access the island platform whilst we completed the works.

“We are really thankful to the local community, including Merton Council, West Barnes Library and Blossom House School. I would also like to thank the project team. Their hard work and perseverance is testament to the works delivered at this island platform station.

“As a leading transport solutions provider committed to bringing people together, Octavius is honoured to have contributed to this important project.”