Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands is asking local people for their opinions on a possible change of route for the proposed Crossrail 2, bringing it to Fulham Broadway and Imperial Wharf.

The proposed route which is currently under public consultation includes a station on the site of Chelsea Fire Station on King's Road, before going south and under the river to Clapham Junction.

The proposal has attracted vociferous opposition from residents, who have launched a campaign called No Crossrail 2 in Chelsea.

The MP says that earlier this year, he held a meeting with the Mayor to discuss Crossrail 2 coming to his constituency.

He says in response to local opposition to the station proposed for the Chelsea Fire Station site, but as a longstandiing supporter of a station coming to the constituency in general, he asked the Mayor to consider alternative sites at Imperial Wharf and Fulham Broadway.

The Mayor agreed to carry out a feasibility study of the proposals, which he received on October 28.

The MP says unfortunately, the report identified a number of practical barriers to the proposed Crossrail 2 stations at Imperial Wharf and Fulham Broadway, which included an increase in the tunnelling required – and therefore the costs – and an apparent diversion at an angle some distance from the main direction of travel.

Speaking about the report, he says: " I'm really grateful to the Mayor of London and his team for their feasibility report, produced in response to my proposals for an alternative Crossrail 2 station either at Imperial Wharf or Fulham Broadway.

" In particular, I’m interested to see that more people could benefit from a station at Imperial Wharf during the morning peak, and that such a station might entail twice as many new homes and new local jobs as a station on the King’s Road.

" However, while I don’t agree with all of the report’s findings – for example, I myself feel that an interchange at Fulham Broadway would lighten the burden associated with football matches at an expanded Stamford Bridge – I do recognise that the report identified a number of substantial difficulties in these two options.

" Nevertheless, having read the report’s findings, I
would now like to hear residents' opinions on a Crossrail 2 station coming to Chelsea and Fulham. Would residents prefer a station at Crossrail 2’s new preferred site on the King’s Road, at Imperial Wharf or Fulham Broadway? Or not at all?"

To request a copy of the Mayor’s feasibility study, or to give your opinion, please contact Greg’s office at handsg@parliament.uk or 020 7219 8828.

 

November 5, 2015