Network Rail Expansion Plans that affects Palmers Green Train Line N13. By Bambos Charalambous

26th June 2014

By local Palmers Green N13 Councillor Bambos Charalambous, resident columnist in our Palmers Green & Southgate LIFE magazine 

As a daily commuter from Palmers Green station I know only too well how busy the train journey can be at peak times. The tube lines are also just as crowded during the rush hour. London’s population grew by over a million in the last ten years but the current available public transport is full to capacity at peak times and sometimes struggling to cope. What is to be done? They should build more train and tube lines to deal with this problem I hear you say! This is exactly what they did in the early 1930s when the Piccadilly line was extended from Finsbury Park to Cockfosters to overcome congestion and which gave us the beautiful, iconic and now listed Art Deco stations of Arnos Grove and Southgate designed by architect Charles Holden.

Proving that there is often no need to reinvent the wheel Network Rail are currently working on two schemes to improve travel and deal with the overcrowding that many of us experience on a daily basis. The schemes are Cross Rail 1 going East to West from Shenfield to Reading through central London (due for completion in 2018) and Cross Rail 2 which is planned to run North to South from Cheshunt to Epsom with a spur shooting up to Alexandra Palace. The exciting news for us locally is that Network Rail are planning to extend the spur from Alexandra Palace to New Southgate station and are consulting on this right now. This will mean more capacity on existing lines and faster journey times with New Southgate to Euston estimated to take 17 minutes and to Victoria 21 minutes being just two examples.

I know that the New Southgate proposal will potentially have huge benefits for many people with a N11 postcode but the knock on effect on other parts of western Enfield are huge and the scheme will no doubt have a ripple effect on other areas too. The increased usage of New Southgate station will also benefit local traders in the area. It is not very often that you get a win-win situation like this but this is one of those rare occasions.

Network Rail are consulting on the New Southgate proposal right now with a closing date for the consultation of 25 July 2014. The full details can be found on line at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/crossrail/june-2014/ and the e-mail address for the consultation is crossrail2@tfl.gov.uk .

I will be actively supporting the scheme for the reasons outlined above and I hope that you will do the same. Whilst we may not get a station of the design and quality of Charles Holden’s masterpieces, there’s nothing to stop us from asking.

If you want to contact me about this or any matter then please get in touch.

Tel : 07812 673075 E-mail : cllr.bambos.charalambous@enfield.gov.uk

Cllr Banbos Charalambous