Transport & Traffic

One of the major benefits of the Earls Court Project Area is that it already has excellent transport links. You will be able to walk to one of its three underground stations (Earls Court, West Brompton and West Kensington) in five minutes from anywhere within the site. There is also an overground train station linking to the West London line at West Brompton, six bus routes service the area, and there is direct access to the A4, which goes to Central London, Hammersmith and Heathrow Airport.

We know from the drop-in sessions that we hosted in February and March 2010 that transport and traffic is a major issue for local residents. They feel that capacity will be stretched and congestion will get worse with any increase in population. So we’ve commissioned a report to see how transport will work and where any problems might be so that we can find potential solutions. This will be discussed at a transport forum before we submit a final masterplan – details will be posted on this website soon.

Traffic

The clogged one-way systems down Warwick Road, Earls Court Road and North End Road and traffic on the A4 cause air and noise pollution in the area. The boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea are looking into ways of managing congestion. The masterplan for the Earls Court Project will look at ways of easing this through a system of roads with better junctions to improve traffic flow. It will also include cycling and pedestrian routes and car clubs to encourage a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. These solutions will be discussed in more detail at the transport forum.

Trains and tubes

The Piccadilly line goes directly from Earls Court tube station to the heart of the West End – the journey to Covent Garden takes only 15 minutes. It is also well connected for international travel as the trip to Heathrow Airport takes 40 minutes, and Kings Cross St Pancras with its Eurostar trains to France and Belgium is only 25 minutes away.

The District line takes those who work in finance to the City in only 25 minutes, and the affluent urban villages of Wimbledon and Richmond to the south are only 20 minutes away. London Overground and Southern Railways operate overland train services from West Brompton station south to Clapham Junction and north to Watford Junction. There are connections to Hampstead Heath and on to the Olympics site at Stratford in the east.

These routes can be busy in peak times, but upgrades to the eastbound Piccadilly and District Lines are planned, which will greatly increase capacity. Crossrail will also cut journey times across the capital from east to west, speeding up the journey to Heathrow and relieving some of the busiest stations on the Underground network, including those in the Earls Court Project Area.

The transport report will explain how these upgrades and additional services will help to accommodate the needs of the new residents of the Earls Court Project.

Buses

The Earls Court Project Area is also well connected to the West End and the rest of West London by six bus routes, which stop off at residential areas and some of the city’s finest parks, museums and shopping districts. The transport report we have commissioned will explore what changes might be needed on these routes.

Cycling

The Mayor of London is passionate about increasing the number of cyclists in the capital, as are we. So in line with The London Plan and our policy of sustainability, we are including cycle lanes in the masterplan for the Earls Court Project, which will link in to the London Cycle Network.

Tell us what you think

Please send us details on any issues surrounding transport by registering and posting comments on the transport forum. We’ll respond online or report back at the transport forum in a few months’ time.