• CLLR Flick Rea implied that Sadiq Khan has blocked proposals for a badly-needed lift at West Hampstead tube station (Some journeys matter less than others… people have been let down by the mayor and TfL, January 11).

Quite the reverse. In December the Mayor of London told Labour GLA member Andrew Dismore that “Transport for London will be… commissioning a feasibility study which will be completed in 2018.

“The study will incorporate a number of options including the potential to create a secondary entrance at the southern end of the platform, where the footbridge from Blackburn Road is currently located.”

West Hampstead and Fortune Green residents and groups have been pressing for a lift for many years at this busy station that handles more than 11 million passengers a year.

We all agree that a lift is necessary for disabled and older people, those with luggage, and with buggies. Local groups have devised different schemes, to which we hope Transport for London will give fair consideration.

Under Sadiq Khan TfL has been allocated more money to give stations step-free access in spite of the grievous cuts in its budget imposed by the government.

When Boris Johnson was mayor he ignored residents’ concerns and insulted them by suggesting they should use Kilburn station instead.

Unfortunately Cllr Rea ignores Sadiq Khan’s positive approach and makes an inaccurate comparison with the southern end of the Jubilee line, a brand-new tube line, built at huge expense, with lifts built into its design.

At West Hampstead, new lifts would have to be grafted onto a 90-year old station surrounded by some of the busiest railway tracks on the tube system.

Local groups and Labour representatives are engaging constructively with the mayor to benefit West Hampstead and Fortune Green, and would invite Cllr Rea to join us.

SORIN FLOTI
Labour candidate for Fortune Green ward