Brent residents are being invited to have their say on plans for the West London Orbital, a proposed new railway that could slash journey times, improve connections across west London and unlock thousands of new jobs and homes.
Transport for London’s public consultation launches on 23 September and gives residents, businesses and community groups the opportunity to help shape one of the biggest transport projects proposed for west London in a generation.
The proposed railway would bring underused freight lines into passenger service, creating a new connection between Hendon and Hounslow and linking communities in Brent to major destinations including Brent Cross West, Heathrow as well as Old Oak Common which shall serve as a major super-hub connecting passengers directly to HS2 high-speed rail and the Elizabeth line. New stations are proposed at Neasden and Harlesden, helping connect local people to jobs, education and opportunity across the capital.
Journey times could be dramatically reduced, with travel from Harlesden to Brent Cross West falling from 39 minutes to 13 minutes, while journeys from Neasden to Old Oak Common could be cut from 44 minutes to just 11 minutes.
The consultation follows a major milestone for the project earlier this year when Transport for London, Brent Council and partners agreed a £6.65 million funding package to progress detailed planning, station design and consultation work. Brent has consistently backed the scheme and invested in developing proposals for the route because of the transformational benefits it could bring to local communities.
According to Transport for London, the West London Orbital could support more than 11,500 jobs, unlock over 25,000 new homes and remove around 650,000 car journeys from London's roads every year, while helping attract investment to communities along the route.
