It all depends on TfL’s funding – but there are some scrapped plans that mean two other station won’t be happening anytime soon
Transport for London (TfL) is pursuing ambitious plans to extend the Bakerloo line deeper into South London, with building work expected to begin during the 2030s and the finished route forecast to open by 2040.
The planned extension – which will go ahead if TfL can get the funding – would run from Elephant and Castle through to Lewisham, potentially featuring three new stations along the way, while discussion continues about possible expansion beyond Lewisham.
TfL has outlined potential sites for the new Underground stations, with Burgess Park and Old Kent Road identified as leading candidates.
At present, the nearest Tube stations to Burgess Park are Kennington and Oval, both located on the Northern line, while South Bermondsey National Rail station sits to the east. Queens Road Peckham Overground station can be found to the southeast.
Additional plans detail an Old Kent Road station situated between the proposed Burgess Park stop and New Cross Gate, which currently serves as both an Overground and National Rail station. Lewisham, in contrast, operates as a DLR stop with countrywide rail links.
Residents in the tranquil neighbourhood of Ladywell, however, consider the extension could be an absolute gamechanger for them.
Documents released in February last year reveal a map presently being utilised by officials, showing new Tube stops at Burgess Park and Old Kent Road, along with the introduction of fresh Tube services at current ‘interchange stations’ – New Cross Gate and Lewisham.
However, plans to extend the Metropolitan line into Hertfordshire have been decisively scrapped, with proposals for two new Underground stations beyond the capital’s borders now entirely dropped.
The Croxley Rail Link scheme had initially envisaged the establishment of two new Tube stations at the northwestern end of the Metropolitan line.
Under the original proposals, Tube trains would have been redirected away from Watford station towards Cassiobridge, the first of the two planned stops. Despite an initial completion date scheduled for 2020, the scheme was unceremoniously halted in 2017.
The second planned station, Watford Vicarage Road, would have followed Cassiobridge, with services proceeding to Watford High Street and Watford Junction, completely bypassing Watford station. Yet this proposal also ground to an abrupt halt in 2017.
Hertfordshire County Council is now investigating ‘alternative uses’ for the disused railway track between Watford and Croxley, following the Metropolitan line Extension scheme being cancelled.
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