Campaigners have celebrated the installation of a new wheelchair accessibility ramp at Kilburn tube station today.

In May last year, Transport for London bosses withdrew the straight ramp enabling wheelchair bound passengers to board trains from platforms at the station -deeming them as a health and safety hazard.

The new ramps have been designed to solve the problem at stations where there is a gap and step down from platform to train.

Jeffrey Harvey, who lives in Kilburn and suffers from pompe disease which is a rare disorder which causes muscle weakness, said: “This is a great achievement for us. It is like a whole section of London has opened up to me again.”

He continued: “It takes a few hours on bus to get to some places, like London Bridge, but it only takes around 20 minutes on tube. It is extremely convenient.”

The new ramp allows for easier access into step free stations across the capital’s underground network

Ramps was introduced during the 2012 Olympic Games but were removed in early 2013, leaving wheelchair passengers with long journeys to central London via buses -prompting disgruntled commuters to start a campaign for them to be reinstated.

Lianna Etkind, campaign coordinator at Transport for All, stated: “It’s been a long battle. Who would have thought it’d take one and a half years?

“It is inspiring to see that disabled and older residents living in the area have easier access to the tube at their local station.”

A new ramp has also been installed at Wembley Park tube station.

Shakeel Javlim, supervisor at Kilburn Underground Station said: “It is a great achievement. We now have the ramp and lift at Kilburn station making easier for less able passengers to travel from our safely.

He continued: “We are happy to assist and accommodate to the needs of any of our passengers.”