Why aren Kentish Town, Cricklewood and Hendon platforms being extended?
Platforms cannot be extended at Kentish Town because of road bridges at each end which cannot be moved. The platforms at Cricklewood are not being extended because there is insufficient demand to warrant 12-carriage trains calling there. Furthermore, a new station is being built at Brent Cross as part of a £4.5 billion regeneration scheme and this will be able to take 12-carriage trains. Brighton to Bedford trains rarely call at Kentish Town and Cricklewood other than in the late evening or early morning. Instead they are served by the Wimbledon loop trains that will remain a maximum eight carriages in length due to the road bridge at Tulse Hill and complex track layouts near other station platforms. The proposal would be that from 2018 Kentish Town and Cricklewood would be served by the proposed St Albans to Sevenoaks or Orpington service. Therefore there will not be a reduction in service for these two stations. The platforms at Hendon are not being extended because there is insuffic
