New Southall Station and Ticket Hall Opened

Step-free access in place in preparation for advent of Elizabeth Line

New entrance at Southall Station

Southall station has been given a significant makeover with a new ticket hall and lifts opening for passengers last Thursday (26 August) as part of upgrades for the Elizabeth line.

There is now a more spacious station entrance with a new ticket hall constructed from glass and steel, including a wider gateline for tickets and contactless payments.

There are also three new lifts and a new footbridge, which provide step-free access to all four platforms at the station.

Southall station is staffed at all times while trains are running with ramps available for those that need them to board trains. All TfL Rail stations operate a turn-up-and-go service for customers needing assistance.

An significant increase in usage at the station is anticipated due to the number of housing projects in the area and the opening of the Elizabeth line in the first half of 2022. Passengers from Southall will initially have to change at Paddington for services into the central section of the route.

The new ticket gate at Southall station

The area around the Elizabeth line station, Southall Gateway, will link the existing neighbourhoods and streets with the new residential-led developments at East Southall and West Southall as well as the redeveloped Havelock Estate.

Connected Living London (CLL), a partnership between the developer, Grainger plc and Transport for London (TfL), has received approval from Ealing Council to build 460 flats on former railway sidings and storage land (which has been used as part of the Crossrail project), including 40 per cent affordable housing.

New customer information screens and ticket machines have also been installed at the station and work will also take place to refurbish the station’s toilets and make the waiting room accessible for customers.

The station building now has a new forecourt and wider doors to reduce congestion at the entrance.

Southall station has signs in Punjabi

Southall station originally opened in 1839 and is currently served by TfL Rail and Great Western Railway services. Network Rail has extended the platforms to accommodate the Elizabeth line trains, which are more than 200 metres long. The station also has refreshed signage maintaining the bilingual information that was installed due to the large Punjabi community in the area - one of the few stations in England with bilingual signage.

Acton Main Line, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and West Drayton stations recently reopened to the public after similar station improvements were completed. Network Rail is now finalising improvements at Hayes & Harlington station with a large ticket hall and new lifts due to open there later this year, providing step-free access for local people and those changing trains to and from Heathrow. Once complete, all Elizabeth line stations from London Paddington to Heathrow and Reading will have lifts providing step-free access.

Elizabeth line Director at Network Rail, Tim Ball, said, “As passengers return to the railway it is great news that yet another station has been significantly upgraded. Our completion of the stunning new ticket hall and addition of step-free access at Southall follows hot on the heels of our similar transformations of Acton Main Line, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and West Drayton which opened to passengers earlier this year. Southall is now ready for the Elizabeth line and its new facilities will improve passenger journeys for generations to come.”

local London Assembly Member, Dr Onkar Sahota AM, said, “The installation of lifts to ensure there is step-free access to all four platforms is a vital step forward to opening up more transport links across Ealing to local people with disabilities and mobility issues.

“It is also great to see Punjabi continue to be used on the station signage and the new modern and spacious ticket hall- reflecting the diversity of the community and the wider investment being put into the area as part of the Southall Opportunity Area”.

Katie Pennick, Campaigns Lead, Transport for All, said, "We are delighted to see step free access instated at Southall station for the very first time, enabling more disabled people to make journeys with confidence and ease. Inaccessible infrastructure locks so many people out of the network, so we are thrilled to see the Elizabeth line continue to transform stations and contribute to a more accessible transport system."

Karamjit Singh, Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall (SGSS) representative, said,"We as a community are looking forward to using the new upgraded and modern station. It will benefit many who already live around the area and others in having accessibility to platforms, especially for our elderly. The heart of Southall is its people and we are pleased to see our Punjabi language as a signature focal point."