The construction of Croxley Rail Link project will soon be starting but the naming of the two new Watford stations in Ascot Road and in Vicarage Road have been delayed due to political and local residents disagreeing with TFL and London Undergrounds preference to not name stations after the road in which they are in but the locality.
Dorothy Thornhill, Watford’s Elected Mayor is encouraging local residents to have their say, and sign an e-petition if they support the naming of the station in Vicarage Road, to be just that, opposing to the proposed West Watford.
Vicarage Road is most well known locally and nationally as the home of Watford Football Club – the new station is expected to be used well by football fans on match days, and access to Watford General Hospital and to the town centre, surely this would make it easy to identify for travellers wanting to use the station?
Both Ascot Road (to be called Cassiobridge) and Vicarage Road are in West Watford, an area that spans far wider than Vicarage Road.
Ascot Road, which was previously home to Watford’s Royal Mail Sorting Office, is now under development with a Morrisons, new housing and a school, as well as the new station. Historically the Ascot Road area was formerly Cassiobridge Farm, owned by the Earl of Essex until it was purchased by Watford Council about 1900, for new sewage works. The bridge and ford over the River Gade was clearly an important place and it features in Hertfordshire County map by Saxton in 1577, and referred to as ‘Cassiobridge Common’, which still exists, so therefore supported.
The TfL board meeting will take place on 31 July 2013, so if you would like your say and support Dorothy’s petition visit:
www.ipetitions.com/petition/vicarageroadstation
