Plans to create a brand new railway line connecting Hounslow with Ealing, Brent and Barnet are nonetheless on monitor, council chiefs say.
The West London Orbital (WLO) would see an outdated freight line repurposed for the London Overground at an estimated price of over £280 million.
West London boroughs have been campaigning for it for years, saying it might enhance the area’s economic system – particularly because the capital recovers from the pandemic.
Proposed stations alongside the WLO embrace Brent Cross West, Neasden, Brentford, Syon Lane, Isleworth, Hounslow and Previous Oak Frequent, the place it might join with Crossrail.
Different “potential” stations alongside the route embrace Hendon, Cricklewood, Lionel Street (Gunnersbury Park) and Kew Bridge.
Passengers using a London Overground practice
(Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
These stations would additionally present hyperlinks to current London Overground stations reminiscent of West Hampstead, Harlesden, Acton Central and South Acton.
The central a part of the route would come from revamping 4 miles of monitor between Cricklewood and Acton, referred to as the Dudding Hill Line.
It’s hoped eight trains an hour might service the central part of the WLO, although fewer trains would run from finish to finish.
A TfL report from 2019 declared the WLO would vastly profit areas alongside the route, a few of that are at the moment faster to journey between by automotive.
The brand new stops would even be positioned close to designated “alternative areas”, the place big new housing developments are deliberate.
On Wednesday, February 17, council chiefs gave an replace on the WLO’s future at a West London Financial Prosperity Board, chaired by Steven Cowan, the chief of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Niall Bolger, the chief government of Hounslow Council, advised the board: “The infrastructure funding for this venture will launch monumental alternative for West London at a comparatively low price and it’s the kind of venture we do have to progress and make the case strongly to authorities on.”
Andrew Barry-Purssell, head of the London Plan on the Larger London Authority, mentioned TfL has already accomplished numerous planning work, and believes the financial advantages “could be vital”.
“Regardless of the very tough scenario that TfL finds itself in, the work on the West London Orbital is constant,” he advised the board.
“There are two causes for that, one is that we’re half funding it, the second is that TfL has already accomplished numerous work [on] state of affairs testing – taking a look at patterns of transport demand, as we get better from the pandemic.
“And in opposition to a lot of the situations they’ve examined, the West London Orbital truly reveals up as being a really invaluable venture.”
He additionally mentioned there could also be issues with a junction at Acton Wells, which already “does numerous work with the North London line… so there are alternatives that need to be checked out within the subsequent stage of labor.”
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Nonetheless, a report offered to the board mentioned TfL might not be capable of present its share of the funding till the 2030s.
“Which means that there might not be TfL funding out there to ship the venture to the present timetable within the 2020s,” the report mentioned.
It additionally mentioned the brand new line would assist assure the development of “15,774 extra properties”, producing “£2.188 billion in extra worth”.
In September final yr, the transport web site IanVisits reported there have been funding points getting in the best way of plans to switch the brand new Brent Cross West Station in order that it might connect with the WLO.
Cath Shaw, the deputy chief government of Barnet Council, advised TfL could possibly be near agreeing £1.4 million for strengthening work and staircases that may join the station to new WLO platforms.
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