Transport for London (TfL) has opened the new extension to the Northern Line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station.
The extension took seven years to build and is a vital part of regenerating the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area.
The extension includes two new underground stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station, which are connected with three kilometres of twin-tunnel railways. Journeys from the new stations to London’s West End are estimated to take approximately 15 minutes.
Unlike most other pre-existing underground stations, the stations and above ground developments were constructed at the same time through a complex digital design process undertaken by Buro Happold in conjunction with lead consultant Jacobs and architect Studiodare.
The stations are set to unlock 25,000 jobs and 20,000 new homes, and the extension project also boasts an impressive benefit to cost ratio of at least eight to one.
“It's fantastic to see these two new stations finally open and we’re so pleased to have played an integral role on such an incredibly iconic project. Transport connectivity is the lifeblood of London, and this railway extension is the linchpin for wider regeneration in the Battersea area and a major milestone in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station too.
“We mustn’t overlook the spectacular engineering story on this project either. Delivering the stations and aboveground developments at the same time demanded careful digital building information modelling (BIM) and extensive collaboration between designers, constructors, developers and asset owners.
“The complexity has been in how you bring all these projects together without affecting how the stations operate or the floor area and quality of space in the developments above. The result of this amazing work is a successful transport project that will allow the major surrounding regeneration projects to be completed.”
