Early on Sunday 12th November I stood on Newbury Park Central Line Station and realised that the installation of new lifts has started at long last. The hoardings cover the areas where the lifts will be sited on both platforms.
Back in 2009 work started to install these lifts. Some £4.5M was spent by Transport for London - who then stopped work and filled in what they had excavated as they had run out of money. This cost a further £1.4M. That was in the days of Boris Johnson as London Mayor. I asked why and was told that Metronet had gone into administration. But that was five years ago, I replied - and the answer came back that there were other issues!
The Seven Kings & Newbury Park Residents' Association led the campaign in which the Aldborough Hatch Defence Association joined to have the lifts installed. Petitions and a visit to TfL finally resulted in the news that the lifts will be operational by mid-2018.
Of course the politicians are claiming to was them wot done it - but we know best. It was the residents who piled on the pressure. I will celebrate by riding up and down in the lifts for a few hours when it all is working! Perhaps I will have a picnic and arrange for some music and dancing! That would be fun!
