Unusually for stations of its era, the lifts descend directly to platform level with no secondary staircases.

In recent times this has meant that the station is now advertised as "Step Free" on line maps without rebuilding work taking place.

York Road was planned to be open to relieve congestion at King's Cross St. Pancras.

[10] In January 2016, Islington Council announced that it had applied for a Judicial Review of Transport for London's plan, to be heard on 25 February 2016.

On 19 January 2016, Underground management announced that the closure plan had been shelved and that new arrangements would be made to keep the station open during lift refurbishment.