Judging whether any project is a success depends on your viewpoint. With Access for All (AfA) schemes, you certainly need a wide range of perspectives to determine whether all relevant needs and priorities have been met.
We cannot successfully solve access problems without involving people with lived experience. And beyond the functional needs of providing easy, unobstructed, step-free access from drop-off to platform, there are the commercial imperatives of delivering on-budget and on-time.
There’s also something else that’s fundamental: the surrounding community.
People depend on rail stations for a variety of commercial, work, social and leisure needs. They might be cherished local landmarks and part of the community fabric. They are important stakeholders who deserve a positive experience and legacy.
What we find, over and over, is that active and meaningful community engagement doesn’t just help deliver better outcomes and build a positive legacy, it can also make projects easier to deliver.
Community Resources
A prime example is the AfA scheme to upgrade Barnes Station, which is bounded on most sides by Barnes Common: an essential community resource in a busy suburban area. Powering the new lifts entailed burying a 200-metre cable beneath part of the common.
Positive community engagement, along with sympathetic delivery and reinstatement, helped secure use of an area of the common for the compound. The London Wetlands Centre also allowed the team to use the centre’s large entrance area as a turning area for steel deliveries. We repaid this support by helping to improve these treasured community resources through staff volunteering days.
Landmarks
Aesthetics also matter in many schemes. Built in 1856, Barnes Station’s original structures are Grade II listed. New lift shafts had to integrate visually with the station’s fabric and surroundings. So we replicated the brick bond and patterns of the original station buildings to maintain the overall appearance valued by local residents.
Every AfA scheme Octavius delivers places positive community engagement at the top of the priority list. Sometimes people just want to be informed about what’s going to happen and to see that every effort is being made to minimise disruption and inconvenience. But there are always perspectives and opportunities that we could never have anticipated without active community engagement.
Access our AfA resource area below to find out more.
Access Our Resource Centre
By signing up, you’ll gain access to our resource hub, designed to support rail operators, designers and project teams in delivering successful Access for All (AfA) projects.
Access valuable resources, including:
- Proven Practices: Practical guides on AfA project management to improve efficiency, reduce costs and achieve sustainable outcomes.
- Regulatory Guidance: Clear insights into compliance requirements to ensure your projects meet the highest standards of accessibility and safety.
- InnovateUK Report Summary: Detailed findings on the future of accessible and inclusive rail travel in the UK.
- House of Commons Report Overview: An overview of the legislative framework for AfA, including its alignment with the Equality Act 2010.
Sign up today to access these essential resources—completely free.
