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Five million trips made on Northern line extension

The Tube station at Battersea Power Station has been open for a year

The Northern line extension has clocked more than five million passenger journeys since it opened a year ago, according to Transport for London. 

The doors to the extension’s two new step-free Zone 1 Tube stations, at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station, opened on September 20, 2021. 

Battersea Power Station is the busier of the two new stations with approximately 80,000 trips per week and almost 15,000 trips routinely recorded on the busiest day of the week – which is Wednesday. 

Nine Elms station attracts more than 40,000 trips each week and almost 8,000 trips on the busiest day. 

In June, TfL doubled the frequency of trains on the extension, from six to 12 trains per hour during peak times, and from five to 10 trains per hour at off-peak times. 

Latest modelling indicates annual passenger journeys on the extension are predicted to continue growing and could reach up to 10 million trips per year in 2024/25. 

This is due to factors including London’s continued recovery from the pandemic, the ongoing growth and regeneration in the Battersea and Nine Elms areas and the increased number of trains per hour on the extension, which is making it more popular with customers with reduced wait times. 

Key destinations for trips made from the new stations at Battersea and Nine Elms include Bank, London Bridge, Leicester Square and Waterloo. 

Analysis of journey times before and after the opening of the extension found it has led to an average 17-minute reduction in passenger journey times between the area and the City and West End, representing a decrease of almost 50%. 

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted that one year on from opening, the Northern Line Extension has seen more than five million journeys made. 

“As London continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s vital that we encourage people back on to our public transport in order to make a cleaner, greener and better London for everyone.”

Andy Lord, TfL’s chief operating officer, added: “We opened our new Northern line stations with great pride and excitement a year ago and it has been fantastic to see how quickly they have become part of the fabric of the city as people have returned in increasing numbers to the Tube network following the pandemic. 

“Since June, we’ve doubled the number of trains serving the extension to give our customers a more frequent service to align with growing demand. Transport plays a critical role in opening up jobs, housing and leisure across the city, with these two new Tube stations clearly demonstrating how faster transport links help neighbourhoods develop and thrive.” 

A £1bn package of infrastructure investment, including making streets in the area safer and more enjoyable for people walking, cycling and using public transport continues apace. 

It includes the redesign of a 2.5km stretch of Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Road to make it more attractive, accessible and people friendly.

The new Tube station at Battersea sits next to the Grade II* listed power station, which will open its doors to the public on October 14 as a new retail and leisure destination. 

It will include more than 100 shops, bars and restaurants, events venues, a unique chimney lift experience and office space. Electric Boulevard, a new pedestrianised high street, will also open on the same day.

If you would like to contact Karen McLauchlan about this, or any other story, please email kmclauchlan@infrastructure-intelligence.com.