[Reposted and updated in Jan 2013 and Sep 2014] Light Rail across Outer North London?

[Sept 2014: Transport for London will shortly consult on London Overground expansion at Old Oak Common in west London. That may, or may not, include using the Dudding Hill freight line from there to Brent Cross and Hendon Thameslink. Watch this space!]

Not really (this is Croydon). 

The Brent Cross Coalition has promoted an outer-London 'Brent Cross Railway', based on the off-road 'Dockland Light Railway'.

In a city of nine million people, we believe there is sufficient public transport demand for an east-west rail connection across Brent, Barnet, Enfield/Haringey, and continuing further east.

We feel north London is better suited to DLR-type trains, rather than trams, because of existing railway corridors, and access to existing public land. 

Although trams can transform the street-scene of town centres for the better, they are very disruptive while being built.

The expanded 'North and West London Light Railway' has been unanimously supported in principle by Harrow, Brent and Ealing full council meetings. 

It might join Old Oak Common (Crossrail and High-Speed-Two) station in the west, to Alexandra Palace (Crossrail Two) station in the east, across the outer-London boroughs.

The fly in the ointment is, of course, Barnet. 

Link to LB of Hammersmith & Fulham video
by Sir Terry Farrell

[Jan 2013: Actually, there is a second fly in the ointment: The recent approval of a new rail-freight terminal at Radlett might make the Dudding Hill Freight Line across Brent unsuitable for light-rail use.  

(Transport for London already has suggested London Overground trains would be more appropriate there, anyway.)

Light-rail would still be possible across Barnet, and there might still be a way to link the Brian Coleman Light Railway with the Terry Farrell one.]

---

Link to HOME (see all posts).