Agenda item

9.33pm – Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler moved, seconded by Councillor Amanda Lloyd-Harris, the special motion in their names:

 

“This Council recognises the challenge facing people with disabilities and others with limited mobility, including older people and those with young families, of using the London Underground.

 

This Council notes that whilst some tube stations in our borough have step free access, many others do not.

 

This Council regrets that no progress has been made on important accessibility improvements to our transport infrastructure in over seven years.

 

This Council calls on Transport for London to put forward plans to give additional stations across the borough step-free access, such as Putney Bridge, Parsons Green and Barons Court Tube Stations.

 

This Council pledges to work with TfL, local residents, businesses and developers to support plans for step free access, and to provide Section 106 funding to support these schemes.”

 

Speeches on the motion were made by Councillors Brocklebank-Fowler and Lloyd-Harris (for the Opposition).

 

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Ben Coleman moved, seconded by Councillor Patricia Quigley, an amendment in their names:

 

“Delete all after "This Council" and insert:

 

…welcomes this administration's determination to make Hammersmith & Fulham the best borough for Disabled people and its commitment to work in co-production with Disabled people to remove the barriers they face.

 

This Council recognises the barriers that Disabled people and others, including older people and those with young families, face in using the London Underground.

 

This Council regrets that while some tube stations in our borough have step-free access, many others do not.

 

This Council regrets that at the time of the redevelopment of Shepherds Bush station, the then Conservative administration and the then London Mayor Boris Johnson did not support the local MP and Labour Party in insisting that step-free access to the station form part of the redevelopment.

 

This Council welcomes it that Transport for London (TfL) has made 21 stations step free in the past five years and that it will be launching a consultation in November to help shape its future approach to step-free tube stations should more funding become available.

 

This Council notes that prior to the pandemic TfL was on track to deliver an operating surplus by 2022/23, having reduced its net cost of operations by almost £1bn over the past four years and increased cash reserves to more than £2bn.

 

This Council regrets the catastrophic effect of the Covid pandemic on TfL's finances and notes that without government support, TfL may still face a £500m gap this year, which could inhibit the installation of step-free access at more stations.

 

This Council commits to:

·      Encouraging local residents, businesses and community groups to respond to the forthcoming TfL consultation to urge step-free access for more tube stations in our borough; and

·      Organising sessions with TfL and residents so that TfL can hear directly about the problems caused by the lack of step-free access.

 

This Council calls on the government to engage fully with TfL to secure a long-term funding agreement that will enable TfL to fund step-free access in more stations in Hammersmith & Fulham and across London.”

 

Speeches on the amendment were made by Councillors Coleman, Quigley and Harcourt (for the Administration) and Councillor Donovan (for the Opposition).

 

The amendment was then put to the vote.

 

FOR                        33

AGAINST                10

NOT VOTING         0

 

The amendment was declared CARRIED.

 

The guillotine fell at 10pm.

 

Councillor Brocklebank-Fowler made a speech summing up the debate before the amended motion was put to the vote.

 

FOR                        33

AGAINST                10

NOT VOTING         0

 

The amended motion was declared CARRIED.

 

10.03pm – RESOLVED

 

This Council welcomes this administration's determination to make Hammersmith & Fulham the best borough for Disabled people and its commitment to work in co-production with Disabled people to remove the barriers they face.

 

This Council recognises the barriers that Disabled people and others, including older people and those with young families, face in using the London Underground.

 

This Council regrets that while some tube stations in our borough have step-free access, many others do not.

 

This Council regrets that at the time of the redevelopment of Shepherds Bush station, the then Conservative administration and the then London Mayor Boris Johnson did not support the local MP and Labour Party in insisting that step-free access to the station form part of the redevelopment.

 

This Council welcomes it that Transport for London (TfL) has made 21 stations step free in the past five years and that it will be launching a consultation in November to help shape its future approach to step-free tube stations should more funding become available.

 

This Council notes that prior to the pandemic TfL was on track to deliver an operating surplus by 2022/23, having reduced its net cost of operations by almost £1bn over the past four years and increased cash reserves to more than £2bn.

 

This Council regrets the catastrophic effect of the Covid pandemic on TfL's finances and notes that without government support, TfL may still face a £500m gap this year, which could inhibit the installation of step-free access at more stations.

 

This Council commits to:

·      Encouraging local residents, businesses and community groups to respond to the forthcoming TfL consultation to urge step-free access for more tube stations in our borough; and

·      Organising sessions with TfL and residents so that TfL can hear directly about the problems caused by the lack of step-free access.

 

This Council calls on the government to engage fully with TfL to secure a long-term funding agreement that will enable TfL to fund step-free access in more stations in Hammersmith & Fulham and across London.