Croxley Rail Link

The Croxley Rail Link was a proposed railway extension in Hertfordshire that would have joined the London Overground and the Metropolitan line at Watford Junction. The plan involved diverting the Metropolitan line from its present terminus near Cassiobury Park, crossing the Grand Union Canal, River Gade and A412 road on a new viaduct. Two new stations were to be built along the reopened section of the old Watford and Rickmansworth Railway between Croxley Green and Watford High Street. The project attracted strong support from Hertfordshire County Council, which lobbied for sixteen years to secure funding from Transport for London and the Department for Transport. Transport for London initially offered up to £18 million, while the East of England Regional Assembly pledged £119.5 million. By 2015 the government had approved the scheme and work began, only to stop in 2016 when costs rose sharply and funding disputes remained unresolved. Visitors to the area would have seen new platforms at Croxley Green and Watford High Street, linked by a striking viaduct over the canal and river. The diverted line would have run into Watford Junction, allowing direct services between Watford and Amersham. Today the route remains recognisable where vegetation has been cleared, though no permanent structures were completed.