A North London Underground station will finally get major upgrades, including step-free access following years of campaigning by local politicians. Other changes include more tickets to reduce overcrowding and improvements to the toilets, although it will result in the closing down of a barber shop outside the station.
The works to Alperton station are expected to start in 2026 after Brent Council agreed a £5 million payment towards the cost of the improvements at a recent Cabinet meeting (May 19), which will predominantly be funded by Transport for London (TfL). The station was selected alongside nine others back in 2023 as part of TfL’s £20m commitment to improve accessibility across the tube network.
The proposals include installing a lift to the platforms to make the station fully accessible and reduce journey times for everyone, including those with mobility issues, parents with buggies, and older passengers. There will also be more ticket gates to reduce congestion and overcrowding at peak times, as well as upgrades to the toilet facilities.
The improvements were deemed necessary due to the influx of new housing in the area, which has been allocated as a ‘Growth Area’ by the council and expected to deliver around 6,000 new homes once development works are complete. The Brent Liberal Democrats, who are the elected representatives in Alperton, are claiming the “long overdue” changes are down to “years of persistent campaigning” by the party.
One of those is Cllr Hannah Martin, who has represented Alperton since 2022 and herself requires easier accessibility because of a visual impairment. She said: “Improving accessibility in Alperton has been a priority of mine since being elected as a Liberal Democrat Councillor in 2022, including calling for funding contributions from Brent Council’s Labour administration for step free access at Alperton station.”
Alperton Station Improvements. The Brent Liberal Democrats have claimed the changes are down to ‘years of persistent campaigning’ by local representatives. Image Credit: Cllr Charlie Clinton. Permission to use with all LDRS partners.
She added: “As an individual with a severe visual impairment and long term health conditions, I know first hand how important this is for residents for a whole variety of reasons and am thrilled that the funding commitments have been confirmed.”
The recently elected Liberal Democrat councillor for Alperton, Charlie Clinton, added: “This is a huge win for local residents who’ve been ignored for too long. Alperton has been the site of hundreds of new flats, and while we do need more homes, this has strained local services to the limit. These upgrades are way past due.”
There are 22 underground stations in Brent but only six of these have some form of step free access. Alperton Station is currently used by over 3 million passengers each year and considered one of the ‘most strategically important’ by the council. The project is projected to be completed in 2027, with the station remaining open whilst the work is carried out.
The current estimated cost of the station access improvements is between £10m and £16m, with Brent Council agreeing to fund up to 50 per cent of the cost, capped at £5m, through the use of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL), and TfL funding the rest.
Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Mili Patel, called it a “really good example” of how SCIL should be used, whilst Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Neil Nerva, added that he hopes it is “the first of a number of places which will see step-free access” as a result of growth.
Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, said the project “demonstrates that when we are doing development in any area that we are taking into account the need for investment” in infrastructure, such as stations, schools, and GPs. He added: “We will absolutely make sure that [these] are the kind of projects that come forward in order to make sure that our communities benefit from the opportunities that arise from regeneration.”
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