Mayor Sadiq Khan backs West London Orbital Rail in draft transport strategy

In the Mayor's transport strategy, he announced his commitment to the West London Orbital rail line, which will connect Hounslow to Cricklewood and Hendon via Old Oak Common, Neasden and Brent Cross.

This will also connect at Old Oak Common with HS2 and Crossrail service, providing travel into various other places in the city.

The line will be delivered through Transport for London (TfL), West London Alliance, Network Rail and the seven borough councils in the alliance: Barnet, Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "I’m delighted that thousands of Londoners have got involved and given us their feedback on the future of transport in London over the coming decades.

"I’ve been clear that we need to be bold in how our city operates as London’s population grows, and this means not only investing record amounts in new infrastructure like extensions to the tube, rail and Crossrail 2, but working with boroughs and local communities to reduce our reliance on car use across London.

"With our unprecedented focus on walking, cycling and clean public transport, our ambitious transport strategy can act as a crucial driver for new homes and jobs, but also improve quality of life for everyone living in London.”

The members of the West London Economic Prosperity Board at University of Westminster, discussing the new line

The strategy also committed to a large scale cycling park installation across the city, ambitions to reduce emissions to zero by 2050, and various new lines and extensions including the Elizabeth line, Northern Line extension, Crossrail 2, Bakerloo line extension and the Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf crossing.

The West London Orbital rail line comes as a separate but complementary project to the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration, which will see thousands of homes built in the area and a new train station, extra to the new line.

Anne Clarke, Labour council candidate for Childs Hill ward in Cricklewood, said: "If this line stops at Cricklewood it would be fantastic.

"This is very welcome good news from Sadiq Khan, as Cricklewood residents would be better connected to areas with new jobs and new homes."

Barnet Council was involved in the West London Alliance's commissioning of a report into the feasibility of the line, which showed it was both technically feasible and could provide countless benefits, including a quick transport time of 39 minutes from Barnet to Hounslow.

Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore said: "I have been campaigning on this issue for a long time, as orbital transport links in London are extremely poor.

"I am pleased that Sadiq sees the benefit of the project, which would unlock 20,000 new homes and join up by rail poorly connected areas of the city."