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The West London Orbital (WLO) has been in the works for the past nine years. It would be the seventh line on the Overground network and, as the name suggests, connect areas across the west of the city. Almost a decade since plans were first drawn up, the WLO is still in the very early stages and is yet to get the official thumbs up. But it does have the backing of Sadiq Khan and leaders in each of the boroughs it would serve. Now, it’s another step closer to becoming reality.
TfL, the Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation (OPCD) and the boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hounslow have all agreed to contribute a total of £6.65m in funding for the line (£400,000 of which will come from the Mayor of London’s budget).
The orbital would run up to six trains an hour, serving the likes of Brent Cross, Neasden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common, Acton, Brentford and Hounslow. It would be built on a freight rail line that hasn’t carried passengers since 1902 and requires new stations in a few locations, including one at Lionel Road (near Gunnersbury Park) and another at Old Oak Common Lane. There’ll be public consultation on those stations later this year. It would also serve existing stations like Acton Central and Brent Cross West.
The funding will go towards preparing designs and proposals for a public consultation this year. TfL, the boroughs and OPCD will finalise their preferred options for stations, junctions, signalling and power; model how the new service will run alongside existing rail operations; assess the environmental impacts of the line and gather evidence of the housing, jobs and economic benefits that the line would bring.
If it goes ahead, the line’s final name won’t be the West London Orbital. Just like the other Overground lines which were renamed in 2024, the service will take on a name inspired by the history and diversity of the area that it runs though.
The newly announced funding is only a small chunk of the money needed to make the WLO a reality. Overall, the line is expected to cost somewhere between £430 million and £610 million to build. It’s thought that, once open, it would be used by more than 11 million people each year, unlock thousands of new homes and jobs in more deprived areas of west London and boost the local economy by around £300m in its first decade.
Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent council called the WLO a ‘once-in-a-generation’ chance to bring the same kind of growth to west London boroughs that the Elizabeth line brought to the areas it runs through. He said: ‘Four postcodes along this route in Brent are amongst the most deprived in London, yet they sit on the doorstep of HS2 and Old Oak Common. With the right connections, places like Harlesden and Neasden can become a new economic powerhouse for our borough.’
Leader of Barnet council Barry Rawlings added that the line would give residents ‘faster, more sustainable access to everything west London has to offer.
Shantanu Rajawat, leader of Hounslow council, said that it will ‘directly support the transformation of London’s Golden Mile, one of the UK’s most important creative and economic corridors, and strengthen links to key local destinations, including Hounslow and Brentford town centres, Brentford Football Club and the wider cultural and employment opportunities along the A4’.
The West London Orbital isn’t the only new Overground line in the works. TfL has revealed ambitions to take over Great Northern services in north London and Hertfordshire, which you can find out all about here.
ICYMI: Elizabeth line services are being increased at three west London stations.
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