Crossrail represents a major step-change in public transport for the local area, and is the single biggest addition to the local rail network since the North Kent line was built in 1849. It will be a significant spur to regeneration in Abbey Wood, encouraging investment and development as well as supporting jobs and businesses in the local area.
The new two-level station will open in 2017 and will be built above two new dedicated Crossrail tracks and those used by North Kent services. The design includes:
- A bright, spacious concourse that leads directly onto a wide forecourt connecting the station to the Harrow Manorway dual carriageway which runs above the current station
- Two new ‘island’ platforms for Crossrail and North Kent services
- Six lifts to help passengers get around the station and to provide step-free access to every platform.
From 2018, a train every five minutes during the peak will allow residents to travel right through the capital without having to change trains. The journey from Abbey Wood to Canary Wharf and Bond Street will be around 20 minutes quicker and passengers travelling to Heathrow will be able to shave around 40 minutes off their journey.
Passengers using the station are predicted to almost treble within the next 15 years, with numbers during the morning peak expected to increase to over 10,000 by 2026.