Croxley Rail Link

History

The present-day London Underground Watford station is situated close to Cassiobury Park, somewhat peripheral to Watford town centre. The Metropolitan Railway had originally intended to extend the branch into central Watford via a tunnel under Cassiobury Park to a terminus on the High Street. Watford station was constructed at a low level to allow for the construction of a cut-and-cover tunnel across the park, and in 1927 the MR purchased 44 High Street, opposite Clarendon Road, with the intention of converting it into the booking hall of Watford Central tube station. Watford Urban District Council, who had bought parts of the Cassiobury Estate from the Earl of Essex to create Cassiobury Park, objected to the proposal to drive a railway across the park. The project was cancelled and the terminus of the Watford branch remained on the southern side of the park, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the town centre and 44 Watford High Street is now The Moon Under Water public house.

Another railway in the Watford area was the single-track Watford and Rickmansworth Railway (WRR), a branch of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) which opened in 1862 between Watford Junction and Rickmansworth (Church Street). In 1912 the LNWR opened a second branch to Croxley Green and although part of the route ran close to the Metropolitan line (about 200 metres), the lines were not linked. The LNWR line came under the ownership of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923 and British Rail in 1948. Throughout this time, passenger numbers were low and the former WRR lines were run down; British Rail withdrew passenger services from the Rickmansworth branch in 1952 and ran a skeleton service on the Croxley Green branch until 1996, when both branches were closed.

The London Transport Executive (LTE), part of the British Transport Commission, considered options for the Metropolitan line in 1948, and proposed linking the Metropolitan to the BR Croxley Green branch line. A similar proposal was put forward by London Regional Transport (LRT) around 1994; an adapted version of the tube map for internal planning purposes printed that year shows a projected route via Watford West and Watford High Street to Watford Junction. Because the line lay entirely within Hertfordshire, it was championed by the county council who lobbied for funding from LRT (later TfL) and the Department for Transport for 16 years.

Funding

In 2005 Transport for London (TfL) tentatively committed to providing up to £18m of the estimated cost of £65m, predicting that the link would be operational by 2010. Difficulties arose in securing the remaining funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) and a revised project submission, under new guidelines, was prepared, with a view to obtaining Programme Entry status. A business case was submitted to the DfT in February 2008, with revised costs of £95m. The proposal was rejected in March on the basis that no guarantee of financial backing had been received from TfL.

In July 2008 the East of England Regional Assembly declared the scheme a "priority" and agreed to contribute £119.5m towards the estimated cost, now £150m. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) agreed to allocate £25.8m which it hoped to recover through ticket sales and other London Underground revenue. It was predicted that the link could be operational within seven years.

A revised business case was produced in autumn 2009 and the costs and scope reviewed. Following the coalition's Comprehensive Spending Review the project was placed in the pre-qualification pool and a further submission made to the Department for Transport in January 2011. In February 2011 the Department for Transport placed the project into a qualification pool of works that would be subjected to further assessments in order to bid for funding. A Best and Final Funding Bid was submitted to the Department in September 2011. On 14 December 2011, the Department for Transport agreed to fund £76.2m of the £115.9m cost, with the remainder from the local authorities (£33.7m) and third parties (£6.86m).

In December 2014 Hertfordshire County Council announced that the projected cost of the scheme would rise to £230 million. It was also reported that London Underground could take over construction of the link from Network Rail. According to TfL, HCC had significantly underestimated the costs and the project was faced with "significant project slippage and cost escalation", and for this reason an agreement was reached with the DfT and HCC whereby London Underground would assume full responsibility for the project, subject to a suitable funding package. Hertfordshire County Council will now contribute £230m, £34m will be provided by central government, and LU is to contribute £16m. The opening date was put back to 2020.

Route and proposed services

A key part of the Croxley Rail Link project will be the construction of the "missing link", a short line of track connecting the existing Metropolitan line to the former British Rail Croxley Green branch line at their closest point. This will involve installing a new junction near Baldwins Lane, about 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) north-east of Croxley station, and building a new viaduct and bridge to carry the Metropolitan line over the A412 Watford Road dual carriageway and the Grand Union Canal to the former BR line. Double track will be laid along the disused trackbed, reinstating the line as far as Watford High Street; from this point, underground trains will share track with London Overground trains along the Watford DC Line to the Watford Junction terminus.

Stations

None of the former BR stations that closed in 1996 will reopen. Two new stations will be built: Croxley Green station will be replaced by Cassiobridge (previously intended to be called "Ascot Road") and a second station, Watford Vicarage Road, will be built to replace Watford West and the football specials halt, Watford Stadium. The stations will have Underground facilities with the exception of a staffed ticket office; ticket machines are to be available instead.

Watford Friends of the Earth commented on the siting of the stations:

"The Croxley Rail Link has a valuable role to play in access to the football ground and hospital. A new station on the Croxley Rail Link to serve the football ground and hospital is a better option than refurbishing the station on Tolpits Lane, which is currently the preferred choice of Watford Council's consultants."

Summary of stations on the route:

The name Ascot Road was initially chosen by consultants for the first of the two new stations; however, many local people and councillors felt that this name would not reflect the identity of the area. Transport planners also expressed concern that the new Tube station may be too easily confused with Ascot Station in Berkshire. The name Cassiobridge was suggested due to historical connections with the area and because of a bridge over the Grand Union Canal, and after some consultation, it was confirmed in August 2013 that the Cassiobridge name would be used instead.

Similarly, the planned Watford Hospital station has had its name changed to Watford Vicarage Road, as it was felt that the association with Vicarage Road football stadium would ensure wider recognition outside the local area.

Closure of Watford tube station

Transport for London have stated that passenger services on the Metropolitan line from Croxley to Watford will cease when the Croxley Rail Link opens in 2020; Watford Met station will close, although the short branch may remain in operation as a reversing siding. Following closure, the nearest station to Watford Met will be Cassiobridge, about 1.3 kilometres (0.8 mi) away. The plan to close the station has been the subject of some local opposition, and campaigners have argued for a reduced shuttle service to be operated on the branch.

Ending services on part of the line and closing a station require a formal closure process involving London TravelWatch. The London TravelWatch Board set up a Watford Station Closure Panel. The panel held a public meeting in Watford on 14 June 2012 to present arguments to TfL against the station closure.

Amersham link

A further proposal is to use the existing but seldom-used Metropolitan line chord which allows trains to run from Watford towards Amersham via Rickmansworth. In conjunction with the Croxley Rail Link, this route would allow direct services between Watford Junction and Amersham, thus improving local public transport in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The proposal was included in a Greengauge 21 report 'Capturing the Benefits of HS2 on Existing Lines'. The report proposes that High Speed Two would increase capacity on the West Coast Mainline, increasing the benefits of an "Amersham Link" to the Croxley Link. These benefits would be further increased by the planned substantial increase in service to Watford Junction and London Euston. It is claimed that this could support a new service from Aylesbury and other London to Aylesbury Line destinations to Watford Junction."

The Amersham link featured in London Regional Transport's adapted internal planning Tube map of 1994, which first illustrated the projected route.

Watford Health Campus

The proposed route runs close to a major new development at Watford General Hospital which will include a hotel and retail, business and residential developments. Promoters of this development believe that the new rail link will increase the need for public transport and will provide potential custom for new services, and the Health Campus project expresses support for the project on its website.