Kensington and Chelsea’s transport boss is urging residents to help make sure the Crossrail 2 line stops in Chelsea.
The call comes as Transport for London (TfL) launched a second six week consultation on Monday (June 9) on whether the new railway will have a station on the Chelsea Fire Station site in Dovehouse Street or a station further west at Cremorne Road near Lots Road and Imperial Wharf - or no stations in the borough at all.
An initial consultation last year received about 14,000 responses from across London with 96 per cent supporting or strongly supporting the plans for an underground service between Wimbledon and Alexandra Palace.
Following the consultation new plans have extended the terminal destination to New Southgate in north London.
Tim Coleridge, the council’s transport chief, said: “After so many years of campaigning for Crossrail 2 it would be a disaster if we were to fall at the final hurdle.
“West Chelsea is poorly served by public transport. Our streets are congested and our air quality is poor. A Crossrail station would make a massive difference so it’s worrying at this late stage to see an option there that bypasses Chelsea altogether. We urge as many residents as possible to get involved in the consultation and demand our station.”
The council has long supported the idea of a new rail line connecting south-west and north-east London and last year around 70 per cent of 3,000 Chelsea residents and businesses surveyed expressed their support for the new line with a station in Chelsea.
Support from the survey was particularly high in west Chelsea, but opinion was divided almost equally between which of the two possible sites was best.
The council believes the currently poorly served parts of Chelsea would benefit from Crossrail 2 by relieving local and city-wide congestion, easing pressure on the transport network, improving air quality and journey times and help the area’s hard-pressed retail sector as well as giving people more transport options.
Crossrail 2 would pass deep under Chelsea and a station on King’s Road would help link Clapham Junction, the West End, Euston, east and north east London to the royal borough.
If Chelsea was completely bypassed, Crossrail 2 would connect Clapham Junction to Victoria directly meaning reduced journey times and a cost saving of up to £1 billion from the total £16bn project.
It is estimated the earliest an application could be submitted would be the end of 2017 then construction could start by 2020 with completion by 2030.
Take part in the consultation online before it closes on July 25 or visit one of the drop-in sessions where TfL and Network Rail officers will be on hand to answer questions.
These will take place at:
- Chelsea Theatre Studio 2, World’s End Place, King’s Road on June 20, from 10am to 4pm and June 27 from 2pm to 8pm
- Chelsea Old Town Hall Small Hall, King’s Road on July 11, from 2pm to 8pm and July 12 from 10am to 4pm
