West London Orbital Moves Forward with Funding to Develop Business Case

A new branch of the London Overground could be one step closer after Mayor Sadiq Khan announced funding to progress the scheme.

The proposed West London Orbital would connect Hounslow and Hendon via Old Oak Common, potentially becoming the seventh branch of the Overground network.

The mayor confirmed that his 2026/27 budget includes £400,000 to develop the business case for the project, which is one of three major transport initiatives he hopes to deliver in the coming years. Labour London Assembly member Bassam Mahfouz described the funding as a step toward construction starting as early as next year, with trains running by the early 2030s.

However, Transport for London still requires government backing to fund the full estimated cost of the project, which TfL previously put at £430–610 million.

The proposed route would make use of existing underused railway lines, running from Hounslow through Isleworth, Syon Lane, and Brentford. A new station is planned at Lionel Road near Gunnersbury Park, with potential services from Kew Bridge.

The line would connect to the Overground network at South Acton, then continue north through Acton Central to the HS2 station at Old Oak Common, calling at Harlesden and Neasden. From there, the line may split, with branches to Hendon via Brent Cross West and West Hampstead via Cricklewood.

City Hall said the funding would support the design of new stations, track upgrades, and infrastructure improvements, while building evidence to help secure additional government and partner investment. The line is predicted to create thousands of jobs and homes in areas including Hounslow, Harlesden, and Hendon, delivering around £300 million of economic growth in its first decade.

Labour assembly member Krupesh Hirani described the announcement as an important step forward, saying it could significantly improve connectivity for residents and businesses across west London.

Despite this progress, Thomas Turrell, the Conservative transport spokesman on the London Assembly, criticised the announcement, claiming it was a “reheated” story designed to give the impression of action.

If delivered, the West London Orbital would run up to six trains per hour along the Dudding Hill Line, a freight railway dating back to 1858, and sit alongside the DLR extension to Thamesmead and the Bakerloo line extension as one of the three major transport projects Khan aims to progress in the near future.