West London Orbital consultation open on new Hounslow to Hendon Overground line

People across west and north west London can now have their say on the West London Orbital, a proposed London Overground line linking Hounslow and Hendon. Transport for London (TfL) opened the first public consultation on the scheme on 23 September 2026.

The consultation runs for eight weeks and closes on 18 November 2026. Responses can be made through TfL's Have Your Say website, where maps of the route and a printable version of the survey are also available.

Backers of the scheme say the journey from Hounslow to Hendon would take around 37 minutes. Today the same trip takes about an hour and a half and means changing trains twice.

The route and the new stations

The line would run for about 18.5km, or roughly 11 miles. It would use existing passenger railways and stretches of freight-only track that have not carried passengers for more than a century, so much of the route is already in place.

Trains would use freight lines next to the Midland Main Line from Hendon to Brent Cross West. They would then follow the Dudding Hill line to Acton Wells Junction, before carrying on through Acton and Brentford to Hounslow.

The proposed stops are Hendon, Brent Cross West, Neasden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common Lane, Acton Central, South Acton, Lionel Road, Brentford, Syon Lane, Isleworth and Hounslow.

Four of these would be new stations: Neasden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common Lane and Lionel Road. Brent Council said the new stations at Harlesden and Neasden would be step-free. TfL said some existing stations would also need new platforms, entrances or other upgrades.

Old Oak Common Lane would be a short walk from the Old Oak Common hub being built for HS2, the Elizabeth line and Great Western Railway. It would also have a walking link to North Acton on the Central line. Lionel Road, near Brentford Community Stadium, would be within walking distance of Kew Bridge station. At Brent Cross West and Hendon, passengers could change for Thameslink services, including trains to Luton Airport.

What has changed

Earlier versions of the plan included a branch to West Hampstead. That has now been dropped in favour of a single, more frequent service between Hounslow and Hendon. Earlier planning work suggested up to six trains an hour.

In March 2026, TfL, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation and four west London boroughs agreed to put up to £6.65 million towards the next stage of work. The money covers design, transport modelling and this public consultation. The boroughs involved in developing the scheme are Barnet, Brent, Ealing and Hounslow.

Supporters say the line would support around 25,000 new homes and 11,500 jobs along the route. The scheme has previously been estimated to cost about £900 million. The West London Alliance of boroughs has long called it one of the area's most important transport projects.

What it could mean for Hounslow

Hounslow Council is encouraging people who live, work and travel in the borough to respond. It said some journeys across west London could be more than 30 minutes quicker under the plans.

At the moment, trips between Hounslow, Brentford, Acton, Harlesden and Neasden mostly mean travelling into central London and back out again, or taking slow bus journeys. The new line would give these areas a direct north to south link across the west of the capital.

David Rowe, TfL's Director of Investment Planning, said: "This consultation is an important opportunity for people to shape the future of this new London Overground route."

What happens next

TfL said the feedback will shape how the plans are developed and will feed into its response to issues raised by the public. The consultation is not a final decision to build the line. Full funding for construction has not been confirmed, and further approvals would be needed before work could begin.

To take part, search for "West London Orbital" on TfL's Have Your Say website before the consultation closes on 18 November 2026.