This is how a major revamp of a busy station on the London Underground map  could look – if funding is secured.

Southwark Council has applied for £25 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to go towards revamping Peckham Rye Overground station. 

Council bosses are planning a “long overdue” station upgrade that would give it step-free access. 

The plans include wider platforms, larger passageways, new lifts and staircases, new accessible toilets, bigger entrances, and better access into the station.  Peckham Rye is the busiest interchange station in the country without step-free access to platforms or accessible facilities for passengers. 

The proposals aim to improve access to the station, reduce overcrowding, and improve passenger safety. 

This Is Local London: This is how this station on the London Underground map could look if a £25m bid is successful (Image: Network Rail)This is how this station on the London Underground map could look if a £25m bid is successful (Image: Network Rail)

Council chiefs have developed the plans in partnership with Network Rail, which has already received £1 million from the Department for Transport for re-designing the station. 

The new fund is open to all local areas in the UK but is focused on providing investment in places where it “can make the biggest difference to everyday life, including ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and coastal communities”.

The upgrade was planned before the funding was announced and could still go ahead without the £25 million – if another source of funding can be found by the authority However, the Government has been accused of prioritising Conservative councils and boroughs in consistences with razor-thin voter majorities.

The Mayor of London also granted the project £5.2 million from his Regeneration Fund.  Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, wrote to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirming her support for the plans.  

She said: “Levelling Up Funding of £25m will contribute towards a major and long overdue upgrade of Peckham Rye Station to ensure that it is fully accessible for all passengers.  

“The project will improve access throughout the station, reducing peak overcrowding, through the creation of an additional station entrance and a new at- grade concourse, featuring two expanded gate-lines along with larger passageways throughout.  

“Lift access will be introduced to all platforms and it will include the creation of an additional platform to eliminate overcrowding on the existing island platform 1/2 for improved passenger safety. 

“Combined, these interventions will not only deliver a significant improvement to station accessibility and environment, reducing overcrowding and improving passenger safety, but together they contribute to a major new civic space at the heart of Peckham Town centre and underpin the regeneration of Peckham Town centre.” 

Peckham Rye Station began operating in 1865, designed by Victorian architect Charles Henry Driver.  

English Heritage Grade 2 listed the building in early 2008 after years of campaigning from the Peckham Society.