Churchfield Road and Bollo Lane level Crossings Could Close

TfL raises possibility in new West London Orbital plans

Churchfield Road Crossing

September 24, 2026

Two level local crossings in the Acton area could potentially be closed as part of plans for the new West London Orbital railway.

Transport for London is considering the future of the crossings at Churchfield Road by Acton Central station and Bollo Lane as part of a consultation on the new route. This is because adding regular passenger trains to railway lines currently used by existing services and freight would substantially increase the number of train movements.

The proposals form part of the planned West London Orbital, a new London Overground service running between Hounslow and Hendon. TfL's current plan is for four trains an hour over the whole route, with six an hour operating on its northern section between Old Oak Common Lane and Hendon. Existing freight trains would continue to use the railway alongside the passenger service.

TfL is warning that the additional West London Orbital services could require level crossings on the route to close to road traffic. Its assessment is that retaining crossings with the increased frequency of trains could mean barriers remaining down for significant periods, creating concerns about safety and congestion.

Neither the Churchfield Road nor Bollo Lane closure should, however, be regarded as a final decision. The West London Orbital remains a proposal and TfL says feedback from the current consultation will help determine how it develops the scheme.

TfL is already considering how pedestrians could continue to get across the railway if the Churchfield Road crossing closes.

One possibility is to make the existing subway at Acton Central available as an unpaid route for people who are not using the station. This would allow pedestrians to pass beneath the railway without having to pass through the ticketed part of Acton Central. Implementing that option would require alterations inside the station. Ticket gates would continue to be provided but would have to be arranged differently to accommodate the public route through the subway.

TfL says more generally that it is investigating alternative arrangements at the affected crossings as the design work progresses. The detailed solution has therefore not yet been settled, leaving important questions about the consequences of a road closure and how existing movements across the railway would be accommodated.

The situation at Bollo Lane presents an additional complication because of railway heritage.

TfL's consultation identifies implications for the listed, disused Bollo Lane signal box if changes are necessary at the crossing. If a proposed pedestrian bridge is ultimately confirmed as being required, TfL says its intention would be to relocate the signal box. Options would be discussed with heritage organisations and Ealing Council with the intention of protecting the structure.

Insert picture of Bollo Lane crossing

While welcoming the West London Orbital project as a whole, Bassam Mahfouz, London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon, said, “But better transport links must not come at the expense of existing connections. This could have a significant impact on pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, who may face long detours with no convenient alternative routes. The West London Orbital should enhance connectivity and accessibility, not reduce it. TfL must properly address these concerns.” 

The West London Orbital would create a new orbital public transport connection across west and northwest London, allowing many journeys to be made without travelling into central London.

The proposed service would run from Hendon through Brent Cross West, along the Dudding Hill Line and through Old Oak Common Lane. South of there, trains would join tracks used by the existing Mildmay line and call at Acton Central and South Acton. From South Acton, the service would move onto another freight line running through Chiswick and serve a new station at Lionel Road, close to Kew Bridge station. It would subsequently join the Hounslow Loop, serving Brentford, Syon Lane and Isleworth before terminating at Hounslow. TfL says four trains an hour would operate throughout the route between Hendon and Hounslow. Two additional trains an hour would operate between Hendon and Old Oak Common Lane, producing six trains an hour over the northern section.

TfL argues that the West London Orbital would fill a major gap in London's transport network by providing direct links between areas of west and northwest London which currently require more complicated public transport journeys.

For local residents, key issues are therefore likely to include what alternative routes would be available if the roads were severed at the railway, how pedestrians and cyclists would cross the line, and what effect any changes could have on surrounding roads.

TfL's published material provides some potential mitigation, particularly the Acton Central subway proposal, but does not yet provide final solutions to all of those issues. The consultation is specifically intended to identify matters requiring further investigation as the designs develop.

The public consultation on the West London Orbital is open until 18 November 2026.

TfL says responses will help it decide how the proposals should be developed and allow it to understand and respond to issues raised by local communities. It also says there will be further opportunities for consultation and engagement as the project progresses.