Nearly 200 businesses and major institutions have signed a joint letter to the Chancellor backing the proposed West London Orbital railway, a new London Overground route, in one of the strongest demonstrations of business support for a transport project in recent years.
The signatories include household names such as Sky, Octopus Energy, E.ON Energy, SEGRO and Imperial College London alongside a host of small, medium and large businesses and institutions across a variety of sectors, all calling on government to work with local and regional partners to secure funding for the scheme.
The scheme is also backed by some of West London’s best-known names in sport, including Brentford FC, while Wembley Stadium and the Rugby Football Union have separately voiced their support.
Despite West London generating around £70 billion for the UK economy each year, many journeys across West London remain slow and indirect, making it harder for residents to access employment opportunities and for businesses to recruit from a wider talent pool.
In their joint letter, businesses say that the West London Orbital would transform connectivity: linking communities to jobs in growth areas like Brent Cross, Old Oak Common and Park Royal and the Golden Mile; helping unlock the full benefits of national investments like HS2; and supporting much-needed housing growth.
This wide-ranging show of support comes as Transport for London’s public consultation on the West London Orbital [LINK] continues. The consultation, which represents a major milestone for one of London’s most important future transport projects, is the first formal opportunity for residents and businesses to have their say and help shape the scheme.
Signatories say the West London Orbital would deliver far-reaching economic and social benefits, including:
• Supporting up to 25,000 new homes and unlocking 11,500 new jobs
• Connecting an additional 450,000 residents to Old Oak Common within 60 minutes
• Maximising the benefits of HS2 and the UK’s best-connected new railway station
• Improving access to employment opportunities in some of England’s most deprived communities
• Expanding rapid access to Heathrow Airport via interchange
• Reducing congestion on key routes like the A406 North Circular Road and the A312
• Boosting West London’s internationally significant sport and live events economy
The West London Orbital would reconnect communities across West and North West London through new passenger rail services on existing rail corridors, making this scheme not only practical, but deliverable too.
The open letter concludes that the West London Orbital represents a vital investment in the future of the economy. It is not simply a transport project, but an economic growth initiative with benefits extending far beyond the capital.
The organisations are calling on Government to work with Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation and local authorities to secure funding for the scheme and ensure it can be delivered as quickly as possible.
