A council has taken the unusual step of offering to part-fund the rebuilding of a frequently overcrowded Tube station.
Kensington and Chelsea council has offered to pay 10 per cent of the £100m-plus bill to make South Kensington station step-free.
The Tory-run authority has called on neighbouring Westminster council, Imperial College and major cultural organisations in the area to contribute towards the cost.
However this sparked an angry backlash from the Labour leader of Westminster council, Adam Hug, who said that if his party retained control of the council after next May’s elections then it would not be funding a scheme in another borough.
For the avoidance of doubt if we (Labour) are elected in 2026 we will not be giving £12m capital funding (borrowing/CIL) to Kensington (Conservatives seem to have other ideas). We'll continue to invest in projects that most benefit us here in Westminster https://t.co/EyltN82sno pic.twitter.com/mQFgnHn4Nu
— Adam Hug (@AdamHug) April 25, 2025
South Kensington station is the 17th busiest Tube station in London, with more than 27.7m entries and exits in 2024.
It is the gateway to world-class attractions such as the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Royal Albert Hall and the V&A.
Transport for London wants to increase capacity at the station, which is served by the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines, and make it fully accessible by 2029.
However its plans are unfunded and it would need Government support to help cover the cost.
TfL wrote to Kensington and Chelsea leader Elizabeth Campbell in March to ask the council to make a financial contribution, which it said was in line with step-free improvements to Colindale and Leyton stations.
Ms Campbell replied last week by offering to contribute up to £12m of the total cost.
In a letter to Mr Hug, Ms Campbell she said a “team effort” was needed – and warned the plans would fail without multiple sources of funding.
She said: “It is a station of real national importance with over 30 million people passing through every year to access world class museums, universities, parks, cultural venues, hospitals and of course many homes across both our boroughs.
“The fact that it is unusable for many residents and visitors is simply not tolerable.
“Given the importance of South Kensington to TfL’s network, it is right that they are the majority funders.
“However, as I said to TfL, this needs to be a team effort. Other key stakeholders, including Westminster City Council, cannot just rely on Kensington and Chelsea Council, TfL and the Government to deliver this much needed upgrade. As such, I am asking you to make a similar commitment to the project.”
She added: “Without a strong show of support from Westminster council, I fear that the project will be put at risk and an opportunity to make one of London’s most important stations accessible for all will be missed.”
Mr Hug hit back in public with a post on X, saying: “This is not how people seriously ask for serious money.
“We remain open to a more pragmatic approach to supporting TfL & K&C's efforts because we share a desire to support Exhibition Road but financially we will not be making a 'similar commitment to the project'.”
Ms Campbell’s intervention follows the efforts of Joe Powell, the Labour MP for Kensington and Baywater, to secure support within Parliament for the station upgrade.
A spokesperson for Westminster council said: "The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has not yet spoken formally to us about this request.
“Our view is that taking a more strategic view of where investment is required by TfL and the Government in central London's transport infrastructure, it is clear there are areas of much greater need within Westminster."
TfL estimates that more than 500,000 journeys a year are not made to or from South Kensington station because of its accessibility issues.
It has committed to providing step-free access to the deep-level Piccadilly line, not simply the surface-level District and Circle line platforms.
