Crossrail 2: what does it mean for Earlsfield?

Transport for London and Network Rail have opened a new consultation on Crossrail 2 - a rail connection that would run between southwest and northeast London.

There are two routes being proposed: the 'metro route' and the 'regional route'. At the core of both options is an underground route running from Wimbledon to Alexandra Palace via central London. Predictions are that this would be a DLR-style service, taking around thirty minutes from Wimbledon to Alexandra Palace.

TfL map of the metro route and regional scheme

The proposed regional scheme (in purple and white lines above) would extend outwards from Wimbledon and Angel. In the southwest, trains would run on South West Trains lines, and possibly replace some services to and from Waterloo. It is estimated that the service could be operational by the early 2030s at a cost of up to £19.7 billion (for the regional option).

So what does this mean for Earlsfield?  

 

At the moment, Earlsfield isn't mentioned directly in the consultation. But we could infer that more trains starting and finishing at Wimbledon would mean fewer trains through Earlsfield. At the same time, Earlsfield residents could benefit from better transport links into central London on the metro line from Wimbledon and Tooting Broadway.

The statistics and projections available focus predominantly on population estimates and overcrowding rather than tackling wider questions of local economic impact, for example. If you were putting in a response, what do you think the effect would be on Earlsfield? Would being close to Crossrail 2 give the neighbourhood a boost, or would we be left behind by a revitalised Tooting?

How to respond

 

The consultation runs from 14 May to 2 August 2013. You can respond online at the TfL consultation site.