A railway that closed over 120 years ago could be brought back to life with a brand-new service.
Transport for London (TFL) published a strategic document proposing bringing the Dudding Hill loop back into use as the West London Orbital.
Running from Acton to Cricklewood, the four-mile line opened in 1875 stopped serving passengers in 1902 and has since been for freight trains only.
TFL has estimated that, if reopened, more than 11 million people will use the Dudding Hill line every year, easing congestion in West London.
New stations would be added along the line at Neasden and Harlesden as well as an interchange with the Overground and Elizabeth Line near Old Oak Common.
Additional platforms and facilities would be built at existing stations such as Hendon, Cricklewood and West Hampstead.
Andrew Dakers, from West London Business, said the orbital could create 120,000 jobs along the route and potentially 16,000 homes.
He said: “Given the cost of housing locally, more homes has to be a good thing”.
Shama Tatler, the deputy leader of Brent Council, called the plan “a no-brainer”.
She said: “The investment isn’t as big as other projects as the line is already there, so it wouldn’t mean huge upheaval for residents and businesses.
“And it means that we can actually invest with the private sector, public money as well. The land isn’t public, so we need private investors to come and support our ambitions here.”
TFL has said that if funding can be identified and the scheme is approved, services could start in the early 2030s.
