Old Oak Common: What do locals in Acton think of the west London HS2 station?

Just as prime minister Rishi Sunak announced he would be scrapping the northern leg of HS2 at the Conservative Party Conference, Acton residents and commuters were backing the positive impact they hope the forthcoming Old Oak Common station will have on the local area.

Situated in west London, between North Acton and Willesden Junction stations, it is currently a huge building site, with the spot previously used to host a large railway depot and maintenance facility.

Earmarked to open in the early 2030s, it will be operating at least several years ahead of the new Euston station, which is expected to be up and running later in the decade.

Until that point, passengers travelling into London from Birmingham will have to change on to the Elizabeth line at Old Oak Common, to continue their journey into the city centre.

While the HS2 leg into the west London station has remained unchanged, Mr Sunak announced yesterday (October 4) that the route between Birmingham and Manchester would be axed due to the project’s ballooning costs.

Instead, he said billions would be funnelled into other transport projects, a move which has received both backing and fury over a perceived abandonment of the north.

The Euston site, meanwhile, will be taken out of HS2’s hands, and will instead be run by a development company, becoming a Euston Development Zone.

In a document published by the Department for Transport (DfT), it says the plans take inspiration from schemes such as those at Battersea and Nine Elms, with thousands of homes also to be constructed.

But back in west London, how do residents in Acton, a mere 10 minute walk from the Old Oak Common site, feel about the station being built on their doorsteps?

‘Of course it’s a positive’

One of the people LondonWorld spoke to outside East Acton Underground station, Anastasia, said she thinks the option of being able to head straight from Old Oak Common into Birmingham will be a major benefit to those living nearby.

“I think it will make a difference to the community because it’s a great and easy way to travel all the way to Birmingham and all the way back,” she said.

“I’ve been there a few times, and it was quite difficult. But to get one route there, one train, I think is quite handy. So I think it will affect the public in a good way.”

Richard, while conceding he believes it will be a good thing HS2 eventually ends in Euston, said he also believes the west London station will be a plus for the community.

“It’ll bring more people into the area, make it easier for people living here to travel all over the country,” he said.

There was some wariness around its potential impact on transport options in the area, however.

Poppy told LondonWorld: “It’s fine as long as it doesn’t disturb any other Tube lines or anything like that, or any other train lines. It’s going to be a lot to deal with I think.”

Gary, meanwhile, said that although he thinks it likely there will be issues prior to the station’s completion, it will eventually prove to be beneficial to those based in and around Acton.

“Of course it’s a positive. You’ve got more people here, the Elizabeth line will stop there as well. Most of the development will be around Old Oak, should it actually improve, should it help this area? Yeah, it will. It’s inevitable. But will there be sticking points? Yes, inevitably, because we’ll get it wrong first, second, third try.

“But the station will be there for the best part of forever. And so eventually, the infrastructure around will line up with it.”

When LondonWorld visited the Euston site earlier this year, locals were somewhat less enthused by the scheme than those we spoke to in Acton.

While one branded it rubbish and another said they would rather the money was spent on better connections in the north and midlands, similar to what Mr Sunak announced, others were more positive.

“If they’ve already started it, why not finish it? If there’s already so much money put into it, they may as well continue and complete it.”