Crossrail 2 route shake-up: Transport for London’s business case proposal scraps Kings Road Chelsea station
A controversial station at Kings Road Chelsea, set to form part of Crossrail 2, has been dropped from the latest business case for the planned rail route.
In the business case which TfL sent to the government in March, and seen by City PM, the latest route for the railway running across London and the south east, has left out the Kings Road Chelsea station that had been planned in between Clapham Junction and Victoria.
The proposed station had proved divisive, with proponents saying Underground stations in the area will need the support as passenger numbers are set to swell in the next decade.
Those opposing the station however, including actress Felicity Kendal and broadcaster Loyd Grossman, were concerned about the disruption it would bring, and worried it would wreck the intimate village atmosphere of Chelsea.
It’s not the only option that has been scrapped in the revised route either, with floated stations at Turnpike Lane and Balham getting the boot too in favour of Wood Green and Tooting Broadway options.
The possible route options set out in autumn 2015 (Source: Crossrail 2)
The changes aren’t concrete ones though and the route hasn’t been committed to. For the purpose of the business case, TfL needed to put together a case scheme option against which to test alternatives, reflecting the recommendations made by the National Infrastructure Commission, set up by the government to oversee infrastructure projects.
During its 2015 consultation, TfL offered up two options between Seven Sisters and New Southgate. One proposed went via Turnpike Lane and Alexandra Palace, while the other would call at Wood Green only.
The majority of respondents preferred the former, but the London borough of Haringey favoured the latter, saying it would provide more economic benefits.
Another toss-up was between Balham or Tooting Broadway, which TfL hopes will help relieve one of the most crowded parts of the Tube network – the Northern Line section from Balham to Stockwell. Tooting got the go-ahead in TfL’s business case, though it did note that investigations carried out early last year found ground conditions around Tooting would make construction “challenging”.
And Tooting proved a more popular choice in consultation, despite the fact concerns have been raised over the fate of Tooting Market. Much of the space will likely be subject to a compulsory purchase order if Crossrail 2 comes to the area.
Michele Dix, TfL’s managing director for Crossrail 2, said:
No decisions have yet been made. We continue to discuss with government all aspects of the project and are committed to holding a full public consultation on our plans.