Mayor chuffed by new train station

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Tuesday September 29, 2009

Britain’s newest railway station was opened by the Mayor of London and local council Leaders today (Tuesday, 29 September).

Transport experts say Imperial Wharf Overground Station, on the West London Line, will slash journey times for rail passengers in south Fulham.

Sands End residents can now travel to the nation’s busiest rail interchange – Clapham Junction – in less than five minutes. Journey times to Willesden Junction, in the far north of Hammersmith & Fulham, have been cut to just 18 minutes.

Speaking outside the glittering new terminal, Mayor Johnson praised the “stylish new station” as it will “provide fast connections to the rest of the transport network, and puts Imperial Wharf well and truly on the map.”

In addition to Shepherds Bush station – which opened next to the Westfield mega-mall last October – the new Imperial Wharf station means the north and south of the borough are connected by Overground rail for the first time since the Second World War.

Plans to build the station had been in limbo for more than 15 years before Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea Councils agreed a £7.8 million funding package with St George and TfL last year. The agreement paved the way for developers St George to build the station.

“We managed to persuade St George to stump up £4.8 million towards the cost of this station,” says H&F Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh. “As a result, passengers can benefit from using this marvellous new station that was been delivered at minimal cost to taxpayers.”

Currently three trains are running in each direction every hour and the station allows Fulham residents much easier access to the Underground at West Brompton.

The news has been a boon to local people as the area has consistently scored poorly in TfL 'transport accessibility' surveys. Recent developments like Imperial Wharf and Chelsea Harbour have also added to the number of people commuting to and from the area.

Strictly Coming Dancing star and local resident Karen Hardy says: “As a business owner in the heart of Imperial Wharf, this is fantastic news as we have had so many people wanting to sign up as members and attend dance sessions.”

Mark Balaam, Chairman of the West London Line Group, added: “I’m delighted that Imperial Wharf has now opened as it plugs an important gap in local and regional rail facilities.

“Coming less than a year after the opening of Shepherds Bush station on the same line and with the 2012 Olympics coming to Earls Court, this will help manage the expected increase in the number of users on the West London Line.”

The state-of-the-art station features Oyster ticketing, a staffed ticket office, step-free access, CCTV, and the latest security and information features. It is served by London Overground's new air-conditioned trains, which have increased capacity, walk-through carriages and driver-monitored CCTV for improved security.

From 2011, it will be served by four London Underground trains per hour all day, every day. Southern trains also call at the station.

Cllr Merrick Cockell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, which co-funded the project, added: “It’s taken a while, but thanks to Hammersmith & Fulham and my own council forging a strong partnership with TfL and the private sector we have been able to improve public transport in an area where residents for many years have been calling for better links.”

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