The planned High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line is a key infrastructure project for the UK and for West London. As part of the proposed first phase running from London to Birmingham, there will be two new stations built in London – one at London Euston and one at Old Oak in West London. The Old Oak station is just one mile to the south of Harlesden and is less than three miles from Wembley. The proposals would deliver a new station providing an interchange between HS2, the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) and national rail services from Paddington, in the biggest station built in the UK for over a century.
This provides a fantastic opportunity for Brent’s residents and workers. The new station will provide better connections to central London, Heathrow and the rest of the UK. It will also drive economic growth on the doorstep of Brent. Around the station, there are plans to build 25,500 new homes, 65,000 new jobs, new parks, leisure, retail and community spaces. This opportunity is so significant that the Mayor of London has set up a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to support the regeneration of the area – one of only two MDCs in London.
In summer, the Government announced that it would be undertaking a review of HS2. The review considered a number of options ranging from keeping the project as it is, through to it being completely scrapped. In early November a national newspaper leaked the review’s findings which are that it should proceed as planned although with a slightly reduced train frequency. This is good news for the Old Oak station and associated transport connectivity it brings and proposed new homes and jobs around the station.
The full review is yet to be published and one of the matters that this full review is likely to confirm is the approach to phasing of the HS2 route. Rail experts are expecting the review to also recommend that the Old Oak station becomes a temporary terminus to allow more time for the construction of the HS2 station at Euston, which will safeguard the delivery of early economic benefits for Brent.
In December, a new government will ultimately have to make the decision on how to proceed with HS2. The project can deliver important benefits for Brent’s residents and workers and I am therefore hoping for a positive decision on HS2 and on the early delivery of the Old Oak station.
Cllr Ketan Sheth is Brent Council’s Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee
