Paralympian Lady Tanni Grey-Thompson is backing a campaign to make South Kensington tube station step-free as part of a move to make “one of the UK’s most iconic cultural quarters” more accessible.
Writing in The Standard, Lady Grey-Thompson linked the call to and launch of a new exhibition at the V&A Museum which aims to celebrate the creative force of Disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent people across design, art and culture.
The exhibition is described as “both a celebration and a call to action”, and will highlight the many ways in which the world is designed without regard for the needs of disabled members of our society.
But Lady Grey-Thompson wrote: “Here’s the irony. If you’re a disabled person planning your visit, the V&A’s own website still advises you that the nearest step-free Tube station is 1.3 miles away.
“Shockingly, South Kensington tube, the closest to the V&A and one of London’s busiest stations, is still inaccessible to millions of disabled people, older Londoners, and parents with young children.
“This isn’t just any station: it’s the gateway to one of the UK’s most iconic cultural quarters, home to the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College London, and major hospitals like the Royal Marsden. It’s where children are inspired, research is advanced, and world-class art and music are performed.”
The campaign has been launched by local MP Joe Powell and Lady Grey-Thompson noted that the project has already secured planning permission and community support. It just needs the funding.
She said: “South Kensington’s world-famous museums are not just tourist destinations — they are powerful instruments of Britain’s soft power. But lack of step-free access means this part of the Capital is still out of reach for far too many people.
“As someone who has spent much of my life campaigning for transport equality, I know just how much this vital upgrade to South Kensington matters to disabled Londoners and visitors.
“I have had to consider turning down invitations to the Royal Albert Hall; not because I didn’t want to go, but because getting there safely and with dignity simply wasn’t possible.
And the effort it takes to travel, even when it is possible, can be exhausting. On top of all the journeys I already make, I often spend hours more each week planning and booking my trips — far more than a non-disabled person would need to.”