All aboard the Lioness and Mildmay overground lines from Willesden Junction

 

 

TfL will complete the renaming of the London Overground lines by the end of the year. LINK There have been criticisms that this will involve unnecessary expense. TfL justify the changes thus:

London Overground was created in 2007, when TfL took over a series of under-used suburban rail lines and transformed them into a high frequency metro-style service.

Since then, the network has expanded, improved connectivity for millions of people and supported new jobs, homes and economic growth.

The Overground network covers 100 miles of railway, 113 stations and all 9 London zones.

Now there are more than 3 million passengers using the service each week, connecting some of London's most historic and diverse neighbourhoods.

Giving each of the 6 London Overground routes an individual line colour lets us improve the way our customers experience our network. It also gives them their own name and identity.

Benefits

 

Specific improvements will include:

• Increased usability and understanding of the network
• Greater customer confidence  
• Clearer wayfinding
• Clearer service disruption information 

 

It also brings a positive and unique opportunity to engage customers and communities and showcase London's rich diversity.

Two Overground lines serve Brent and pss through Willesden Junction. TfL explain why they have chosen the names.

The Lioness line Watford Junction to Euston

 

The Euston to Watford Junction line runs straight through the heart of Wembley, where the Lionesses enjoyed their greatest triumph when they won the UEFA Women’s EURO final in 2022. The team are creating a lasting legacy that continues to inspire and empower the next generation of women and girls in sport. 

 

Following their triumph at the UEFA Women’s EURO in 2022 and their memorable run to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final a year later, the Lionesses’ success has attracted millions of fans and had a significant impact on the sport’s participation numbers. Following the EURO success, 2.3 million more women and girls were inspired to play the season after the tournament. Showing the remarkable impact the squad have on the next generation. 

 

The Mildmay line  Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford (via Willesden Junction)

The name celebrates Mildmay, a small but crucial charitable NHS hospital serving the NHS in Tower Hamlets, with a long history of helping Londoners in need. Mildmay opened in the 1860s as an informal help centre organised by the Reverend William Pennefather and his wife Catherine at St Jude and St Paul’s church in Islington. William organised Mildmay Institutions to care for the sick and Catherine trained well-educated young women – ‘deaconesses’ in nursing. When cholera broke out in 1866, two Mildmay deaconesses volunteered to assist in the East End’s poorest slums, an area strictly avoided by other Londoners. In 1892, the first purpose-built Mildmay Hospital opened in Shoreditch. 

In 1982, Mildmay was closed owing to its small size and a lack of funding. After a six-year battle, it reopened as Europe’s first hospital for people with HIV- and AIDS-related illnesses. It was visited by Princess Diana a total of 17 times. The press coverage of some of these visits helped break the stigma at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The name cherishes the role of the NHS and its smaller healthcare centres in caring for all Londoners. To this day, Mildmay is still an internationally renowned centre for the rehabilitation of and care for patients with complex HIV. It a valued and respected place for London’s LGBTQ+ communities.

 The new Overground Map

 

REMINDER: Closure of some Brent & Harrow sections of Bakerloo line and London Overground next week

 

 

From Transport for London

We need to close part of the Bakerloo line and London Overground. This is so that Network Rail can carry out work to improve their track and infrastructure.

 

This means we need to close:

• The Bakerloo line between Queen's Park and Harrow and Wealdstone
• London Overground between Euston and Watford Junction
•  

These sections of line will be closed between these dates:

• Saturday 11 February to Sunday 19 February 2023

 

During the closure, a regular four to five minute service will continue to run on the Bakerloo line between Elephant & Castle and Queen's Park.

 

The track and associated infrastructure are in urgent need of upgrading. The works will make journeys more reliable in future.

 

Tube

During the closure there will be no Bakerloo line service at these stations:

Kensal Green, Willesden Junction, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central, North Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, and Harrow & Wealdstone,

 

London Overground

During the closure, there will be no London Overground services between Euston and Watford Junction. London Overground stations will be closed at all stations on this section of line except Willesden Junction.

 

That means there will no London Overground services at:

 

Euston, South Hampstead, Kilburn High Road, Queen's Park, Kensal Green, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central, North Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, Harrow & Wealdstone, Headstone Lane, Hatch End, Carpenders Park, Bushey, Watford High Street, Watford Junction

 

Willesden Junction

Willesden Junction will remain open to these destinations: Stratford, Clapham Junction and Richmond.

 

Alternative routes

• Map of alternative transport during the closures – weekends PDF 116KB 
• Map of alternative transport during the closures - weekdays

PDF 116KB

 

Check before you travel using our travel tools, including TfL Go and Journey Planner.

Bus

 

Use bus routes to reach your destination or connect with alternative rail routes.

• You can access the Metropolitan line at the following stations: Wembley Park, Preston Road, Northwick Park and Harrow-on-the Hill
• You can access the Jubilee line at Wembley Park and stations towards central London

 

Connecting buses

Use these buses to connect to other lines or to get to destinations on the closed sections of the Bakerloo and London Overground lines.

 

Standard TfL fares apply on these routes.

 

Route 718 Queen's Park to Harrow & Wealdstone (Mon-Fri only, all day)

Via Kensal Green, Willesden Junction, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central, North Wembley, Preston Road, Kenton

 

Route 719 Queen's Park to Wembley Park (07:00-19:00 weekdays, 10:00-19:00 weekends)

Via Kensal Green, Willesden Junction, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central

 

Route 720 Watford Junction to Harrow-on-the-Hill (all day, every day)

Via Harrow & Wealdstone, Headstone Lane, Hatch End, Carpenders Park, Bushey, Watford High Street

 

London Northwestern Railway (National Rail)

For central London, use London Northwestern Railway services from Watford Junction, Bushey, Harrow & Wealdstone and Wembley Central.

 

Consultation on new Overground stations at Old Oak Lane and Hythe Road

Transport for London is consulting on new transport connections as a result of the building of HS2 and the Elizabeth line. There would be new Overground stations at Old Oak Common Lane and Hythe Road. Details from TfL below.

CONSULTATION EVENTS

The Nadi Park Royal, 260 Old Oak Common Lane, White City, London NW10 6DX

Monday 30 October 12:30 – 19:30
Saturday 4 November 10:30 – 16:00
Monday 6 November 12:30 – 19:30

Overview

Old Oak and Park Royal is one of London’s largest Opportunity Areas and one of the largest development sites in the country, with the ambition to deliver a whole new centre and community for west London which includes 25,500 new homes and 65,000 jobs.

Old Oak is the only place where High Speed 2 (HS2), the new high speed railway between London, the Midlands and the North, meets the Elizabeth line, London’s new East-West railway. A new station at Old Oak Common will open in 2026, providing both connections to the Elizabeth line, HS2 and National Rail services and a hub for regeneration.

In 2014 we consulted on the idea of providing further transport connections to the London Overground network at Old Oak with three options proposed. Over 83 per cent of respondents either supported or strongly supported this idea. There was also a clear preference for Option C which suggested two new Overground stations; one at Hythe Road on the West London line and one at Old Oak Common Lane on the North London line.

Following on from the 2014 consultation, working closely with Network Rail and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), and co-funded by the European Commission, we have undertaken work to develop an initial design for the potential stations at Hythe Road and Old Oak Common Lane. We would now like your views on these designs.

In 2016 the Mayor of London carried out a review of the overall direction and work programme of the OPDC. The review recommended that additional work should be undertaken to support the case for the potential London Overground stations at Old Oak. Further work on the business case is currently underway and your views from this consultation will form an important part of the wider business case work.

Background

From 2026 HS2, the Elizabeth line and National Rail services are expected to call at a new Old Oak Common station and the area will benefit from excellent east – west rail connections, including to central London and Heathrow Airport.

Passengers wishing to travel by rail to Old Oak from the north or south would need to go by London Overground to Willesden Junction. Although Willesden Junction station is 1.5km away from the new Old Oak Common Station, there is no convenient link between the stations which would make it difficult for passengers to interchange between HS2, Elizabeth line or London Overground services.  

Providing good public transport connectivity at Old Oak would also support the regeneration proposed in the OPDC’s draft Local Plan (2017), the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area Planning Framework (2015) and the Mayor’s London Plan (2016).

What are the benefits of the new London Overground stations?

·      Better access to public transport across west London.

·      Enable more journeys to be made without going into central London, in turn reducing pressure on trains and stations in central London 

·      Improve access to HS2, Elizabeth line and National Rail services from areas of London connected to the London Overground network.

·      Enhance the regeneration benefits that HS2 and the Elizabeth line will bring to the Old Oak and Park Royal area.

·      Support the wider, OPCD-led development of Old Oak and Park Royal

·      Increase the number of destinations that can be accessed directly from Old Oak.

Working with our partners

Following on from the 2014 consultation, and supported with funding from the European Commission, we have worked up an initial design for both stations. Working closely with Network Rail and OPDC the designs have developed, leading to a single preferred option for each station. We have also worked closely with OPDC to ensure these designs would integrate with the proposals set out in its draft Local Plan.

What we are consulting on?

Hythe Road
Hythe Road station would be situated on the West London line about 700 metres from the Old Oak Common station and in one of the largest development sites within the OPDC area. This development site is owned by the company Car Giant and known as Old Oak Park. Car Giant, supported by the property development company London and Regional, is independently proposing a large-scale redevelopment of its land.

Hythe Road station

What options have been considered?

·      1A - a new London Overground station on the existing railway embankment, including embankment widening where required

·      1B - a new station and railway viaduct to the north of the existing embankment. This option would mean the removal of the existing embankment

·      1C - a new station and railway viaduct to the south of the existing embankment. This option would also mean the removal of the embankment

Which option is TfL consulting on?

Option 1B is the preferred option as it provides greater opportunity for regeneration and the creation of new spaces that support the wider development. In addition, this option reduces the severance caused by the embankment, making it easier for people to move around the area. 

Old Oak Common Lane
Old Oak Common Lane station would be situated about 350 metres to the west of the HS2 and Elizabeth line station, sitting on the North London line between Old Oak Common Lane and Midland Terrace. This station would provide the most convenient interchange between London Overground, HS2, the Elizabeth line and National Rail services. The location of this station is constrained by other railway lines, roads and residential properties.

To the west of Old Oak Common Lane station, there is an aspiration to provide a pedestrian and cycle link, connecting Old Oak Common Lane and Victoria Road. This link would make it easier for people to move around the area as currently the patchwork of railway lines act as a barrier. While a pedestrian / cycle link crossing the railway lines is not essential for the new station, we have included possible provision for such a link in each option as we believe it would be important for opening up the wider area.

Old Oak Lane station

What options have been considered?

·      2A - a new station with a sub-surface ticket hall and concourse. This option would include potential for an underpass between Old Oak Common Lane and Victoria Road

·      2B - a new station with an elevated ticket hall and concourse. This option would include potential for a bridge, linking pedestrians and cyclists between Old Oak Common Lane and Victoria Road

Which option is TfL consulting on?

Option 2B is the preferred option as it reduces the level of disruption to the railway during construction and provides better value for money.

Although the provision of an overpass to Victoria Road is not a requirement of the potential station, the design would allow for this to be provided, either at the same time as the station or at a later date. The decision to proceed with such a link is not confirmed and would be subject to further review and discussion with local stakeholders including residents, landowners and OPDC.

What happens next?

The business case work for the stations is being undertaken at present and further work is required to determine the future operational requirements. In addition, the work is only funded up to the end of the current stage, and investigations are under way to consider how the stations could be fully funded. The outcome of this consultation will inform the business case work, and ultimately will help us determine next steps.

If there is support to build the two stations, and funding is confirmed, powers to build and operate them would need to be secured through a Transport & Works Act Order. As part of this process it is likely the proposals would be examined at a public inquiry before being determined by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Further consultation on the proposals would be carried out before we submit a Transport & Works Act Order.

Public events

We are holding public events to give people the chance to ask questions and meet the project team. These events are taking place at;

The Nadi Park Royal, 260 Old Oak Common Lane, White City, London NW10 6DX

Monday 30 October 12:30 – 19:30
Saturday 4 November 10:30 – 16:00
Monday 6 November 12:30 – 19:30

Have your say

We would like to know what you think about our proposals.

Please give us your views by completing the online survey below by

Alternatively, you can:

·       Email us at consultations@tfl.gov.uk

·      or write to us at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS

You can also request paper copies of all the consultation materials and a response form by emailing consultations@tfl.gov.uk, or writing to FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS.

The sole responsibility of this publication lies with the author. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Have your say

Online Survey

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Stop the closure of Brent's London Overground Ticket Offices

Ticket offices marked for closure

London Overground is proposing the closure of ticket offices on the Brent section of the line. This follows the closure of London Underground ticket offices last year.

These station serve both the Bakerloo line and London Overground. Harrow and Wealdstone and Wembley Central also serve Southern (East Croydon to Milton Keynes) and some London Midland services (Euston to Milton Keynes). In addition tickets can currently be booked for through onward journeys further North and South including Birmingham and Brighton.

Apart from the issues around safety which Dawn Butler has taken up LINK, remembering the murder at Kensal Green station some years ago, these closure would seriously affect passengers'convenience.
Journeys accessing the rail network are much more complicated to book, involving peak and off-peak fares, changes, choices of routes, and use of various rail cards, reduced rates for children etc.

A booking office clerk confirmed to me today that current ticket machines would not be able to offer all these options. With only a limited number of fares on offer passengers may well lose out being unable to book the cheapest fare for maybe a grandparent and child travelling together. All the permutations are likely to mean frustrating queues at the machines.

This is the announcement on London Travel Watch

London Underground are consulting on proposals to close the ticket offices and carry out improvement works which will include installing new, improved ticket machines at the following London Underground stations, which are covered by the National Rail, Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (Schedule 17):

• Gunnersbury
• Harlesden
• Harrow & Wealdstone
• Kensal Green
• Kenton
• Kew Gardens
• North Wembley
• Queen’s Park
• South Kenton
• Stonebridge Park
• Wembley Central

To comment on these proposals and how you might be affected as a passenger, please write to London TravelWatch, 169 Union Street, London, SE1 0LL or email
enquiries@londontravelwatch.org.uk, with ‘London Underground ticket office changes’ in the subject line. The consultation will close on Wednesday 27 January 2016.

London TravelWatch will review all comments received, and will make a recommendation to the Department for Transport based on these and other information received.
Further information on consulations and closures can be found in the consultations section of the website.
You can also read the letter we received from TfL about the proposed closure of Regulated Stations ticket offices.