The first KITE Step Installation: where it all began!

Austins Lane: The First KITE Step Installation

A few years back, KITE Projects reached an important milestone with the installation of the first full KITE Step system at Austins Lane. This project was delivered for Transport for London (TfL) on the Tube network, where previously only a muddy path ran alongside the track, making safe access a challenge.

We had long believed in the value of modular access, and it was encouraging to discover that London Underground shared that belief. Together, we set out to develop a safer, more efficient, and forward-thinking solution for trackside access.

Bridging the Gap

One of the standout elements of this early project was the need to overcome an access issue. LU staff had been required to walk along a suspended cable duct to cross a concrete culvert - clearly an unsafe and unsustainable method.

To resolve this, we designed and supplied a high-strength steel bridging unit that could be carried manually down the new stair sections and installed without the need for heavy machinery. This approach aligned with safety and site constraints, while also demonstrating the practicality of modular design.

Austins Lane:

Changing the Way Access Was Done

At KITE, we recognised that the protocols around embankment access needed rethinking. That realisation led us to define a set of core objectives for what would become KITE Step:

• Create a modular solution that could adapt to varied sites

• Limit component weights to ensure safe handling by no more than two people

• Meet industry standards and safety expectations

• Improve labour efficiency and drive down installation costs

• Deliver more predictable and productive shift outcomes

• Allow easy adjustment for site-specific conditions

• Reduce both the excavation and geotechnical impact on embankments and cuttings

• Reduce site preparation requirements

• Provide safer, more secure access solutions

• Enable access to locations that had previously been too costly or difficult to reach

  
  

From this vision, KITE Step was born;  a modular staircase system designed for use in high-risk transport environments.

A Successful Trial on the Underground

As part of our early development, we trialled the KITE Step system at two embankment sites on the London Underground network. Within 48 working hours, our teams installed three stair lifts and three landings, achieved with two crews of three people, each working two 8-hour shifts.

Compared with traditional masonry solutions, which would have involved far greater time and material movement, the results clearly demonstrated the efficiency and practicality of our system.

The components were designed for safe manual handling. Stair parts weighed no more than 20 kg, while landings were limited to 30 kg. The entire system was supported on root-fixed handrail posts, and open mesh treads and landings were incorporated to prevent water and debris build-up.

Meeting an Industry Need

During the early stages of engagement with clients, we learned how widespread the issue of access truly was, especially for those maintaining communication cabinets or performing regular inspection work. It was clear that expecting operatives to scramble up slippery, grassy slopes was no longer acceptable.

We also learnt that larger corporate businesses such as Network Rail could see a relationship between providing consistent, compliant access with better safety psychology alongside track; there is a belief that properly designed access would create life saving value beyond the immediate physical benefit of improving access.

We also heard from civil engineering companies about the recurring problems with temporary access. These solutions were often hired, lightly built, expensive over long projects, and required frequent inspection. Most notably, once a contractor left site, the access often disappeared, despite the client’s ongoing need to reach the asset for maintenance.

KITE Step filled that gap. It was designed not only to serve projects during construction but to remain in place as a long-term, cost-effective solution for safe site access.

Laying the Groundwork for the Future

The development and deployment of the first KITE Step system marked more than just a product launch; it began a shift in how the industry approached access in difficult environments. KITE Step demonstrated that it was possible to build smarter, safer, more adaptable infrastructure access systems.

By allowing more work to be completed within tight shift windows, the system helped improve operational efficiency while reducing risk. It delivered real benefits for network users, engineering teams, and infrastructure clients alike.