Colindale station 'on track' to reopen by December, TfL says

The station closed earlier in the year (June 7) and was expected to remain closed to the public until December while work is carried out on a new building.

Transport for London (TfL) announced last year that £43.1 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund was allocated to upgrade both Colindale and Leyton stations, meaning they will have step-free access for the first time.

TfL said Colindale station, in its current state, was projected to reach passenger capacity by 2026.

But there are fears the new station will not open on time.

One campaign group, Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure, said on Monday (September 16): “The site works are obviously behind schedule.

“The contractor said they need to close the line to install the long-span station deck, and now the installation is still incomplete, and there is no planned closure for the Edgware branch in the next six months. What does it mean?

“We will be surprised if TfL could really reopen Colindale Station by December 2024.”

Construction at Colindale station (Image: Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure)

Lisa Lu, who has lived opposite the station since 2020, said: “I don’t understand how they’re claiming to be done by December.

“It’s going to be at least a month or if not two-month delay, and it still won’t be open fully until next year. I’m sure there’s going to be lots of additional delays and closures.”

During the closure, commuters relying on the Edgware branch of the Northern have been complained about being forced to stand on the upper deck of crammed replacement buses, and some fear that this could be a longstanding issue if Colindale’s reopening is to be delayed.

But TfL has said it is “still on target” to reopen in December, despite some delays in construction.

Construction at Colindale station (Image: Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure)

Once reopen, there will be a temporary pedestrian passageway that will allow customers to access the platforms at Colindale through the existing ticket hall and new staircases, ahead of the station upgrade finishing next year.

A TfL spokesperson said: “The major upgrade of Colindale station will transform the journeys of thousands of our customers for decades to come. 

“We are working at pace to achieve the December deadline for reopening and are still on target to do this.

“We understand that a station closure causes disruption for customers but are committed to ensuring that people can complete their journeys using the public transport network during this period.”