New Northern line stations to open on 20 September

Transport for London (TfL) has today confirmed that the two new Tube stations making up the Northern Line Extension will open to the public on Monday 20 September. The two step-free, Zone 1 stations at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms are set to dramatically improve the connectivity of these vibrant south London neighbourhoods and contribute to the capital's recovery from the pandemic at a vital time.  

Major construction on the 3km twin-tunnel railway between Kennington and Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, began in 2015. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the construction project has stayed on track for an autumn opening.  

Tube services on the extension will start on Monday 20 September, running from Kennington station on the Charing Cross branch. There will be an initial peak time service of six trains per hour on the extension, increasing to 12 trains per hour by mid-2022. There will be five trains per hour during off-peak times, doubling to 10 trains per hour next year.    

The Northern Line Extension is the first major Tube extension this century and is supporting around 25,000 new jobs and more than 20,000 new homes. In addition, construction of the extension boosted the UK economy and supported around 1,000 jobs, including 79 apprenticeships.  

Around 100 members of station staff are currently undertaking training to become familiar with the two new step-free Tube stations, and Northern line drivers are receiving instruction on the new route. Work is also nearing completion on Art on the Underground's major new permanent artwork by London-based Brazilian artist Alexandre da Cunha, which is being installed at Battersea Power Station Underground station ahead of the launch.  

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:

'After an incredible effort from the huge number of people who worked on this project, it's fantastic that we are now on the final countdown to the Northern Line Extension opening later this month.  

'The two new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station are the first new stations on the Northern line for 80 years. They will hugely improve connectivity between these two areas and the rest of London, and play a major part in the capital's recovery from the pandemic by supporting thousands of new jobs, homes and businesses.'

Stuart Harvey, Director of Major Projects at TfL, said:

'In just a few weeks' time, we'll be opening the first major Tube extension this century and welcoming our first customers to the new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. It has been a huge collaborative effort with our London-based stakeholders and suppliers from around the UK. It's going to be a fantastic moment when this thriving south London neighbourhood makes it onto the Tube map for the first time, which will also highlight the vital importance of public transport in connecting communities and assisting London in its continuing recovery from the pandemic.'

Councillor Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council and co-chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, said:

'It is fantastic to finally have a date for the Tube opening in Battersea for the first time, bringing long-awaited new travel connections to the area.  

'This huge £1bn transport investment to extend the Northern line to Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms has been over 10 years in the making, so we are delighted that this growing Wandsworth neighbourhood is now firmly on the London Underground map.  

'Our leadership and resolution with partners including TfL, GLA, Lambeth, Battersea Power Station and all local developers to transform the area from a transport backwater to a thriving centre for homes and jobs will bring benefits and opportunities for all our residents and businesses for decades to come.'

Simon Murphy, CEO of Battersea Power Station Development Company, said:

'We are delighted to have played a key role alongside TfL, Wandsworth Council and the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership in delivering the first major extension to the London Underground in nearly 25 years. The Northern Line Extension is a gamechanger for this area of London and an extremely significant milestone in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station, which is soon to be one of the most well-connected developments in the capital. We look forward to welcoming further visitors to the thriving riverside neighbourhood we are creating once the new Battersea Power Station Underground station is open on 20 September.' 

David Darcy, Project Director for the Ferrovial Construction Laing O'Rourke joint venture, FLO, said:

'FLO has designed and constructed a crucial transportation system asset for London, which comes into service as the city's post-pandemic recovery begins. A project of this scale and complexity, with the challenges posed by COVID-19, has been a joined-up effort on so many fronts, proving the benefit of close collaborative working across the entire project at all levels. We are grateful to our supply chain and delivery partners and the local communities. Importantly, the NLE comes into service with an industry-leading safety performance and, underpinned by the culture of the project team and integrated delivery approach, has set a new standard for delivering major and complex transportation schemes for the UK.'

Working with stakeholders including the London Borough of Wandsworth and the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, a number of schemes making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport in the Nine Elms and Battersea areas are also nearing completion. These schemes include new pavements, seating and signage, tree planting and increased cycle parking. They also include the opening up of a Victorian railway arch in Nine Elms, known as Arch 42, to create a vital new walking route between Nine Elms station, Nine Elms Lane and the River Thames. Santander Cycles are also available to hire across the Nine Elms and Battersea area. 

The opening of the Northern Line Extension comes ahead of the transformational Elizabeth line launching in the first half of next year, revolutionising travel across the capital.

Notes to editors:

Timeline of the Northern Line Extension:  

2014: Secretary of State granted Transport and Works Act Order (November)  
2015: Start of major construction works (November)  
2017: Two tunnel boring machines - Helen and Amy - launched at Battersea (March) and broke-through at Kennington (November) - named in honour of the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman, and British aviation pioneer, Amy Johnson, who was the first female pilot to fly solo from Britain to Australia  
2018: Tunnelling work undertaken for new customer passageways linking platforms at Kennington Tube station   
2019: Completion of track installation throughout the NLE . Engineering train travels the length of the extension for the first time (June)  
2020: Power supplied to stations (November) and energisation of track (December). Start of dynamic testing with first test passenger train travelling the length of the extension (December)  
2021: Trial operations begin (July); start of passenger services on 20 September  
 

• TfL will confirm the time of the first train to serve Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station on Monday 20 September in due course 
• The Northern Line Extension has also unlocked the potential for the delivery of new homes, which will help to tackle the capital's housing crisis. Connected Living London (CLL) - the formal partnership between TfL and Grainger plc - is bringing forward more than 600 new, quality rental homes, including 40 per cent affordable housing, across two sites linked to the Northern Line Extension. The homes will be a mixture of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households. 
• In Nine Elms, the new station has been designed so that 479 new rental homes and commercial space can delivered above and around it. At Montford Place in Kennington, a new mixed-use development of 139 new rental homes and more than 2,700 sqm of light industrial workspace has been given the go-ahead and will occupy a Northern Line Extension worksite. Both of these schemes by CLL have been shaped to incorporate sustainability into their design, with air source heat pump energy systems as well as solar panels at Montford Place. Both schemes also include biodiverse roofs and bird boxes to help to provide shelter and roosting sites for birds. Between them, the schemes also offer a range of amenities for the local community, with Montford Place providing a central mews street that could be used to host pop-up markets and street vendors and Nine Elms incorporating a new public square 
• Art on the Underground invites artists to create projects for London Underground that are seen by millions of people each day, changing the way people experience their city. The new artwork at Battersea Power Station titled 'Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset' from artist Alexandre da Cunha stretches to almost 100 metres in length. Da Cunha uses an outdated advertising mechanism - the rotating billboard - to create two friezes of colour which face each other along the length of the ticket hall. Inspired by Battersea Power Station and its system of vertical bars that regulated the production and output of electricity into the city, and informed by the colours of London sunsets and sunrises, the work refers to cycles, routine, the everyday and eternity. For more information, please contact: Sutton PR, Elise Hammond, elise@suttoncomms.com 
• Battersea Power Station is one of central London's largest, most visionary and eagerly anticipated new riverside neighbourhoods. The £9bn regeneration project will see the creation of a vibrant, mixed-use destination offering a community of homes, shops, restaurants, offices, culture and leisure venues, as well as 19 acres of public space, all serviced by the extension to the London Underground Northern Line. Circus West Village, the first chapter in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station, is already a thriving riverside destination home to over 1,500 people and an eclectic mix of independent and design-led retailers. The second chapter, the Grade II* listed Power Station, will open its doors to the public next year and will house over 100 shops, restaurants and cafes, a 1,400-person capacity events venue, a unique chimney lift experience offering 360-degree panoramic views of London's skyline, new office space, 500,000 sq. ft of which will be home to Apple's new London Campus and 254 new residential apartments 
• The last major Tube extension was the Jubilee line extension, which opened in 1999 

About Nine Elms 

Nine Elms and Vauxhall have always been a critical part of London's landscape - the area's past is one of commerce and industry, its future is of enterprise, culture and living.  

The Opportunity Area is being regenerated by Wandsworth and Lambeth councils working together to establish the area as a successful part of London's Central Activities Zone. To support the long-term development programme, a £1bn transport package has delivered an extension to the Northern Line with two new Zone 1 stations at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms. Bringing the Tube to Battersea for the first time, the new line is also the first extension to London's Tube network in over 25 years. The wider package of infrastructure investment includes new river taxi piers, opening up sections of the Thames path and improved cycleways and roads.  

Investment in the transformation of utilities infrastructure, notably telecommunications, sustainable drainage, electricity and heating, is creating an ultra-modern and business-friendly environment and a sustainable low-carbon urban district. 

A 4.5 hectare park is opening in phases alongside new community, health and school facilities to support the area's growth. The new US Embassy is here, and development partners are delivering 20,000 new homes, a brand New Covent Garden Market, and 6.5m sq ft office space, shops, hospitality and cultural spaces with the creation of 25,000 post-construction jobs.

Follow the progress on Twitter @NineElmsTeam, Instagram @NineElmsLondon, Facebook @NineElmsLondon or find out what there is to see and do at www.nineelmslondon.com