- Croxley Metropolitan Line station and Watford
West station on Railtrack's disused Croxley Green branch would be
connected by a short stretch of new track passing to the north of the
disused Croxley Green station. Watford Metropolitan station would be
closed and sold: after Croxley, Metropolitan trains would call at Ascot
Road (new station), Watford West (reopened), Watford High Street and
Watford Junction. The track from Watford West to Croxley Green would be
permanently abandoned, and has already been severed by a new road (Ascot
Road)
- David Connor - "Croxley Green National Railway
station would also disappear (it will never see another train, just
replacement buses)"
- Graeme
Wall - "[This scheme was] in the London Rail Study, published
November 1974"
- SARNS in November 1998 - "The last I've heard is
that the following are causing hold-ups... money, local planning
permission, permission from the Rail Regulator's office"
- Peter Lawrence - "The [following text] is copied
from Hertfordshire Local Transport Plan - Consultation Draft dated May
1999. In partnership with London Underground Ltd, Watford Council, Three
Rivers District Council and local business, Hertfordshire County Council
is seeking to fund the Croxley Rail Link project, which would be project
managed and delivered by Railtrack. The scheme involves linking London
Underground's Metropolitan Line with the Railtrack Branch Line at
Croxley in order that Underground trains can run between Baker Street to
the Centre of Watford and provide valuable east-west local services.
[...] The improved integration provided by such a link builds on the
increasing role of Watford Junction Station as transport hub north of
London, where local services such as Croxley Rail Link will interchange
with the improved West Coast Main Line and potentially, Eurostar. The
project is estimated to cost £42.5 million of which £30 million capital
would need to be raised by the Partnership and the remaining costs would
be met through revenue charges from Railtrack to London Underground Ltd.
Approximately £10 million capital is to be raised through the local
councils and private sector partners and £20 million of TSG is sought by
the County Council. Subject to funding being available from April 2000,
Transport and Works Act procedures could start in January 2000,
construction starting in January 2002 and the line open in January 2004"
- In July 1999, Hertfordshire Council stated that
the operating cost would be £1.1m per year and the revenue would be
£2.9m per year (1998 prices)
- Paul Embleton in October 1999 - "The link scheme
would involve a viaduct c. 600 metres long, over the 'Two Bridges
Roundabout', the canal, new Ascot Rd and old Ascot Rd to link up with
the existing track between Croxley Green and Watford West [1], which
would be twinned where now single. A new stn at Ascot Rd, with a
200-space car park, would be more accessible to local housing, the
Business Park, the soon-to-be-redeveloped Sun site and ease current
parking difficulties at Watford Met. Watford West stn would be upgraded
and a second exit the other end of the platform would give access
towards Vicarage Rd, the Regeneration Site, General Hospital and
Football Ground. This new access point would be a significant link to
the SRB project. There would be no Stadium station since in operational
terms it would be far too close to the West station to be feasible. High
St station work would be via local businesses upgrade contribution with
some more direct links to the Harlequin and Town Centre. The demand
model (Halcrow-Fox) indicated commercial viability, (with 8 trains per
hour each direction at peak) and with up to 10% projected transfer from
private use, the local community would benefit. The scheme is
economically viable, but not commercially viable to build or operate.
Railtrack is willing to build and London Underground is willing to
operate. Hertfordshire County Council's bid to the government for
Transport & Works Act application to fund the partnership through to
the next stage should be determined in December 1999. Some funds would
be allocated under the Capital Challenge scheme, whereby local
authorities make a bid for funds from an available pool [2]. There are
many such bids. The scheme would then have to pass a Public Inquiry and
although local voices recently raised in protest have generated more
positive interest and renewed support, there remain some genuine
concerns [3]. There is now a new Minister [4] to determine the case [5].
- [1] by extrapolation shows c.70% of existing
path to be retained.
[2] from money which was
skimmed off their budgets in the first place.
[3] though how those who bought houses backing on
to the existing line could be seen to have reasonable grounds for
objection remains to be seen.
[4] one whose
degree of favourability and persistence is still unknown.
[5] which may yet fall victim again to political
expediency.
- Paul Embleton in October 1999 - "A meeting
between the Minister and the specific County and Local Authority
officials was scheduled for August. There was to have been expected a
definitive financial commitment. However a reputable Watford source says
that, even if such a meeting were to take place within the next couple
of months, it is very likely there'll be no move whatsoever on this
project until London's Mayor has been elected. The view expressed to me
was that the spur re-routing needs an element of LT capital and
commitment: if LT do not wish to make such, then there is little that
the local authorities and Hertfordshire County Council can do. If the
new Mayor decides to review and reprioritise funding and spending s/he
should be as free as possible to do so. A further delay would be
unfortunate since all relevant official parties have built up steam and
local opinion, save a few residents whose properties back onto the
existing Croxley Green spur, is much in favour. A Ministerial decision
to grant funding for the next stage of the process is expected this
December. No decision on a Transport & Works Act application has yet
been made. No date has been announced for the necessary public inquiry.
The project could be intertwined with the environmental improvements and
current central government funding of the "community regeneration" SRB
[Single Regeneration Budget] package for West Watford: the proposed
second exit of an upgraded West Watford Station would provide access
directly to the regeneration site. A while back, West Watford was
identified as being an area in need of help (parts of the locality were
severely run down - in stark contrast to the rest of SW Hertfordshire)"
- In February 2000, Chiltern Railways were
rumoured to be considering through trains between Aylesbury and Watford
Junction using the Croxley Link
- In July 2000, Hertfordshire included the scheme
in their Local Transport Plan
- In December 2000, the government stated that did
not yet have sufficient information to form a view on whether to fund
the scheme
- Paul Embleton in March 2001 - "[The following
information] comes from Watford Town Hall (a report issued on 13th
February 2001, which in turn reflects the latest position from both
Hertfordshire County Council and Government Office East Region at
Bedford) so it can be taken as a very well informed and accurate
statement of the latest situation. Although the government has agreed
that the scheme meets their funding criteria, they have a few queries
they want resolved, and once this has been done (hopefully by the summer
this year) approval in principle for the scheme is expected. Transport
& Works Act procedures would start immediately after a positive
decision with construction possibly starting in 2003 and the line
opening at the end of 2005. Hertfordshire County Council are now likely
to be the lead partner for the project and will be dealing with the
government who want to see an updated appraisal which addresses
- Firm proposals for delivering the project
- A statement of commitment from London
Underground
- Statement of Transport for London's views"
- On 22nd March 2001, the Strategic Rail
Authority, with the support of Hertfordshire County Council, initiated
formal discontinuation of passenger services on the Croxley Green branch
and formal protection of the part to be used after the Croxley Link is
built. Without these measures, the line would be automatically be deemed
closed after five years without service (March 1996 - March 2001) and
there would have been no requirement to protect any part of the route
- In March 2001, the government was expected to
make a statement in June 2001
- On 12th July 2001, the closure hearing for
Croxley Green branch was held
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