Issue 12: Stairs at Clapham Junction


The following answer was published in Issue 12 (Sep/Oct 2005) of e-motion magazine.

Question

Who is responsible for Clapham Junction station and when are they going to do something about it? When crossing from one platform to another, I am fed up with having to negotiate the seemingly endless staircases.

Answer

Clapham Junction is owned by Network Rail and managed, on its behalf, by South West Trains. Following an accessibility study of stations carried out by the Strategic Rail Authority, the installation of lifts to the bridge at Clapham Junction has been identified as a top priority. In association with Transport for London, South West Trains also carried out a feasibility study into reopening the old Brighton Yard entrance, to provide direct access on to the bridge. The findings revealed that it would help access, athough there is no implementation date as yet. In the meantime, our employees will assist passengers, and our stair-creeper provides a reasonable alternative for passengers with impairments.

Joel Mitchell, Group Station Manager, Clapham Junction