A study to examine the feasibility of extending London Underground’s Northern Line to Clapham Junction has concluded “there are no physical engineering or geological constraints” to prevent the scheme going ahead.
The report by the London Borough of Wandsworth looked at how the Tube line could be extended from Battersea Power Station – terminus of a new branch of the Northern Line which connected to the existing network at Kennington, completed in 2021 – to Clapham Junction, the busiest station in Europe by train numbers.
The feasibility study noted that the “tube service could attract additional transport users, ease overcrowding on existing rail and bus services and support additional development in the Clapham Junction area”, and “a Northern Line connecting Clapham Junction to Waterloo could replicate to an extent the service already provided by South Western railway”.
It added that “Transport for London are… reviewing the safeguarded route for Crossrail 2 – land at Clapham Junction is safeguarded for Crossrail 2 and if Crossrail 2 were to be resurrected it would provide a direct rail link between Balham/Tooting, Clapham Junction and Central London”.
Masterplan for Clapham Junction
The council is working with stakeholders on a Masterplan for Clapham Junction, including the Greater London Assembly, Transport for London, Network Rail and landowners. This will consider the transport connections needed to best meet the requirements for the area in terms of new homes and jobs, and for the station itself, which is “in serious need of improvement”.
Wandsworth council has launched a public consultation which it says will help “identify whether there is a strong local feeling in support of a tube line”.
A route for the proposed extension has been reserved, running from the power station underneath Battersea Park to Clapham Junction.
It has previously been estimated that the construction cost of the extension would be at least £750m.
