Ladbroke Grove tube station

Ladbroke Grove station stands in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. It sits between Latimer Road and Westbourne Park stations in London fare zone 2. The main entrance opens onto Ladbroke Grove street. The station opened in 1864 as Notting Hill and changed names twice before becoming Ladbroke Grove in 1938. Its earlier names tried to prevent confusion with Notting Hill Gate tube station opened in 1868. Platform roundels still show “For Portobello Road” beneath the station name to guide market visitors. The station is closest to Portobello Road Market and local traders have campaigned to rename it Portobello Road. In 2009 Transport for London halted plans to add step-free access due to financial limits. The project would have installed two lifts and a new entrance but was stopped after £3.06 million had already been spent. Ladbroke Grove remains two stops away from Wood Lane which has step-free access. The roundels on the platforms still help passengers heading for the market. Visitors find a simple station with platforms reached by stairs. The roundels on the platforms carry the extra line “For Portobello Road” in smaller text. The north and south entrances date from 1934 and the platforms were photographed in 2001. A bridge carries the line over Ladbroke Grove street. The area around the station mixes residential streets with the famous market nearby.