For many years in Harlow there has been speculation about the feasibility of constructing an extension to London Underground’s Central Line from its current terminus at Epping into Harlow. Harlow Renaissance undertook to produce a feasibility study into this and Colin Buchanan and Partners were commissioned to deliver this. Colin Buchanan’s report in 2005 for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on growth in the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough corridor identified that a Central Line extension could be a solution to the need to increase Harlow’s transport capacity. The study commissioned by Harlow Renaissance in 2009/10 sought to:
- explore the feasibility in engineering terms of extending the Central Line
- identify potential routes for such an extension
- identify ‘ball park’ costs for each route
- undertake discussions with London Underground to explore the appetite for such a project
The study was conducted during 2010, with an initial presentation of options to the Harlow Renaissance Board in the summer. Work is currently underway to test some of the assumptions contained in the draft report through Essex County Council’s transportation model for the Harlow area. This work will complete in early 2011 and the report will be published on this website.