Twickenham has been axed from Crossrail 2, after Network Rail said its inclusion would not offer more frequent or faster London-bound trains.

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The town had been earmarked for inclusion in the scheme, which proposes to connect south-west London suburbs in Richmond, Kingston, Epsom and Elmbridge with north London.

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However, following two Transport for London consultations, Twickenham has been dropped from the plans, while Hampton, Teddington, Fulwell and Hampton Wick have made the cut.

A Network Rail spokesman said, if the rail link was to be routed via Twickenham, the town's branch line connection with Kingston and Richmond would have had to have been withdrawn.

He said: "During the previous Crossrail 2 consultation, the proposed route map indicated a potential option to serve Twickenham.

"Since then we have done further work to evaluate our preferred regional route.

"The studies show that taking Crossrail 2 to Twickenham would not offer any benefit in terms of frequency or journey time and it would have potentially required the existing direct service between Twickenham, Richmond and Kingston to have been permanently withdrawn.

"Therefore it is proposed that Crossrail 2 services will not serve Twickenham."

 

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He added: "Existing, fast and frequent journey opportunities will remain available from Twickenham to Clapham Junction and Waterloo on the existing direct route via Richmond, with interchange to Crossrail 2 services to central London and beyond available at Clapham Junction."

Michele Dix, managing director of Crossrail 2, promises it would have a "transformative effect" for people travelling to work through the Kingston, Richmond, Elmbridge and Epsom boroughs.

She said: "There will also be thousands more seats on peak-time trains into Waterloo on the suburban and main line services from across the south west, because Crossrail 2 would free up space on those lines."

Hampton Wick councillor and London Assembly member Tony Arbour said: "These proposals which include the stations on the Shepperton, Chessington South and Hampton Court lines will massively increase frequency of trains and improve connectivity and comfort for all my constituents.

"I shall be working with Zac Goldsmith to ensure that this visionary scheme is implemented as soon as possible."

The consultation runs until January 8 next year.

To take part email crossrail2@tfl.gov.uk or visit consultations.tfl.gov.uk/crossrail2/october2015/consultation.

More reaction to follow.