23 Jun West London Orbital could be operational within the next decade
West London Orbital could be delivered by the early 2030s, Barnet Council’s Deputy Chief Executive told the Capital West London Summit 2023.
Speaking at the “New Connections – Rail, road, river and beyond,” Cath Shaw firstly praised the strength of partnership in The West London Economic Prosperity Board, a combined committee of six West London councils.
She said: “It gives us a governance structure that means that we can take collective decisions that are binding on all of us, a governance structure that works. We’re just thinking now about funding and stakeholders, and if we need to lobby, how do we use our collective connections and resources when it comes to thinking about London’s next big piece of kit which is the West London Orbital. I actually think we can have this delivered by the early 2030s.”
The West London Orbital will help reduce car usage, Ms Shaw added, for while “Barnet’s connectivity is fantastic in and out of London, it’s clunky and difficult to go east or west” and orbital transport will change that. The route will travel along 11.5 miles of existing track, to connect West Hampstead and Hendon in the east to Hounslow in the west, stopping at 21 stations including four new builds. This will offer opportunities to unlock development for 15,000 homes, connect communities to jobs and reduce carbon for the North Circular road as one of the most congested spots in the country, Ms Shaw said.
Improvements to public transport taking place now were also outlined.
Ms Shaw highlighted how Brent Cross West station, opening in autumn, will take passengers to King’s Cross within 12 minutes, with up to eight trains per hour. The station was built specifically to unlock the Brent Cross Town development that will provide 6,700 homes, workplaces for 25,000, people 50 acres of green parks and playing fields, and the UK’s first air taxi port.
Transport for London wants to raise public transport’s share of West London trips from 60% to 80%, said Geoff Hobbs, the organisation’s Director of Public Transport Service Planning.
This is progressing through upgrades to the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines including new trains and an extension of the 79 bus route which runs from Alperton Station to Edgware Station.
Work is ongoing for HS2 – 170 miles of high-speed track between London and Crewe – and construction of Old Oak Common station, a new super-hub set to be the best-connected and largest new railway station ever built in the UK.
And the Superloop bus route – out to consultation in West London – will offer orbital journeys all the way around London, with faster journey times due to a limited number of stops.
David Lunts, Chief Executive, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, spoke about the post-Covid commuter pattern and influence of hybrid and work from home business models.
He said: “My guess is where things have settled is pretty much where things will stay. Central London is really busy again, people are in the office two or three days a week. People have accommodated themselves to hybrid working but I think the office is still going to be necessary and attractive to a lot of Londoners. Firstly, because you don’t get the support or the buzz if you’re not in the office and secondly because a lot of Londoners live in quite small properties, so getting out of the home environment is pretty important.”
Geoff Hobbs found this working trend to be borne out in public transport usage, saying: “Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are busy while Monday and Friday are markedly less – about 75% of what it used to be. Weekends are pretty much back to normal, 100% of what it used to be.”