TfL Ref: FOI-0034-1718

Thank you for your email received by us on 4 April 2017 asking for information about Hackney Downs Interchange and step free access. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked:

Has TFL never considered a direct access to both east and west bound platforms to be delivered together? Was the access to the west bound platform connection rejected on physical or financial feasibility?

Transport for London (TfL) has never considered the delivery of direct access to both the eastbound and westbound platforms at Hackney Downs to and from the interchange walkway. The original scheme was for a direct connection to the westbound platform from the interchange walkway, with no connection to the eastbound platform. This was subsequently changed to offer a direct connection to the eastbound platform instead. This change was implemented because it represented a better, simpler engineering solution and also because it would deliver greater customer benefit than the original scheme. These customer benefits consist of the journey time reductions realised by the provision of the new interchange walkway compared to the position without the walkway in place, measured across all interchange movements made between the two Hackney stations. The journey time impacts were modelled separately for the two options; the direct connection to the eastbound platform and the direct connection to the westbound platform. The overall reduction generated by the direct connection to the eastbound platform was greater, delivering larger benefits and contributing to the better benefit cost ratio of this option. It is also worth noting that the final design (connecting to the Eastbound platform) reduced the pressure on the footbridge (which experiences congestion) by enabling passengers wishing to access the station entrance and the eastbound platform to do so directly without needing to cross the footbridge.

Also, regarding step free access to Hackney Downs, my original enquiry stated that TFL's existing Accessibility Implementation Plan (2012) states that step free access is to be delivered by 2025 by Crossrail 2, which of course your response has demonstrated is out of date. To whom can I direct please an enquiry as to how this plan can be updated or to find out information about any timetable that supersedes this previous plan. Who is responsible for its delivery please?

As a London Overground station, step free access at Hackney Downs would normally be funded by the Department for Transport through Access for All. There is currently no confirmed timescale or funding for the delivery of step free access at this station. The project remains a priority for TfL and we are continuing to seek funding to enable its delivery from all available sources. The organisation responsible for the scheme’s delivery would have to be determined once funding was found.

TfL remains committed to making the public transport network in London more accessible, acting on the Mayor’s vision and priorities in this important area. The current TfL Business Plan includes a bigger increase in step-free access than ever before, including a commitment to make more than 40% of Underground stations step free between the street and the platform by 2021/22.

If this is not the information you are looking for, please feel free to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Melissa Nichols

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London