Sadiq Khan pledges review of plan for Crossrail station in Chelsea

Review pledge: Sadiq Khan
Jeremy Selwyn

Labour’s mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan today pledged to review Transport for London’s plans for a £1 billion Crossrail station in Chelsea if he is elected to City Hall next month.

The planned King’s Road station on the £30 billion north-south line is opposed by some residents, who have campaigned for it to be sited at Imperial Wharf near the Thames instead.

In a letter to Chris Lenon, chairman of the No Crossrail in Chelsea campaign group, Mr Khan said: “It is absolutely crucial that TfL takes residents’ views into account, as well as ensuring the scheme is value for money for the taxpayer.

“The next mayor will have to listen very carefully to the loud voices coming from local residents opposed to the current plans in Chelsea. If I am elected in May, I will ask TfL to review the plans and what can be done to minimise the impact on the local community.

“In addition, I will ask them to look again at the option of Imperial Wharf as a possible location for a station.”

The Imperial Wharf option is also backed by local Tory MP Greg Hands as well as Hammersmith and Fulham council.

However, TfL planners are concerned that it is too close to Clapham Junction, where there will also be a Crossrail 2 station, to justify the cost of building it there.

A disability group backed the King’s Road proposals, claiming it will improve access for wheelchair users.

Jamie Renton, chief executive of Action Disability Kensington & Chelsea, said that because there were no plans to make Sloane Square Tube station “step-free”, the closest accessible stop on the Underground was Earl’s Court, more than two miles away.

He said a new station would help the 1,900 registered wheelchair users living in the borough as well as an estimated 7,100 people who have walking difficulties.

Mr Renton said: “It is imperative that the Crossrail 2 station is built on the King’s Road to significantly improve access for thousands of people, including disabled people with a range of impairments or simply parents with pushchairs, who will benefit hugely from step-free access.”@JonPrynn

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