Transport for London (TfL), four west London boroughs and the Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) will collectively contribute up to £6.65 million to drive forward the next stage of a new rail scheme set to transform travel for those living and working in west and northwest London. This includes £400,000 from the Mayor of London’s 2026/27 budget.
The route, sometimes known as the West London Orbital, would create a new passenger link on under-used freight lines so that Londoners can better connect with town centres, employment hubs and existing and future transport links to London Underground, London Overground, Elizabeth line, National Rail and HS2 interchanges. It would run up to six trains an hour connecting key growth hubs and town centres including Brent Cross, Neasden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common, Acton, Brentford and Hounslow.
The proposed route includes new stations in some locations, while in others it would serve existing stations with appropriate alterations. Public consultation later this year will include details of four new stations at Old Oak Common Lane, Neasden, Harlesden, and Lionel Road.
This innovative new transport link would support more than 25,000 new homes and 11,500 new jobs, delivering approximately £300 million in the first 10 years of operation. It would connect major regeneration zones including the Great West Road, Neasden and Brent Cross, as well as improving links to major employment centres across west London. It would also strengthen access to the future Old Oak Common superhub, including HS2 and the Elizabeth line, meaning faster journeys to Heathrow from north London. The boost in public transport connections would help encourage 650,000 fewer car trips per year.
As with other London Overground lines named in 2024, this new line would consider the communities along the route as well as local heritage and history to find a suitable name that showcases London’s rich diversity and culture.
The £6.65m funding is being split equally between TfL and local boroughs – with contributions from the London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hounslow – as well as the OPDC, which was established in 2015 to drive regeneration in the area. TfL’s 50 per cent share is being provided over the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years.
This funding will fast-track design and modelling for public consultation in summer 2026, leading to a decision in late 2027 on whether to seek statutory powers through a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) – a major step towards delivery. Funds will enable TfL, boroughs, OPDC and Network Rail to prepare this consultation: finalising preferred options for stations, junctions, signalling and power; modelling how the new service will run alongside existing rail operations; assessing environmental impacts and refining demand forecasts; building evidence of the housing, jobs and economic potential unlocked by the scheme.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ”I’m pleased and proud to bring partners together so we can deliver the missing link in public transport for the north and northwest part of the capital. Adding a new line to our fantastic London Overground network will help drive regeneration and economic growth not only along the new route but across our great city. I look forward to seeing the homes, jobs and opportunities unlocked by this innovative rail project as we continue building a better, greener, more prosperous London for everyone.”
