Have plans to extend the Metropolitan Line derailed?

Sadiq Khan has outlined how Transport for London (TFL) will save more than £3 billion over the next four years – completely omitting the £284.4m plan to extend the Met line.

The newly-released TFL draft business plan includes plans to extend the Bakerloo Line, expand the Night Tube and open the Elizabeth Line.

READ MORE: Fight to save Watford Met station continues

But the Met line extension - which was given the go-ahead by government five years ago – was completely left out of the document.

Sources said one explanation for the omission could be that TFL is waiting to find a new construction partner for the project – an issue that came up at the last Community Liaison Group meeting, which is held every three months to discuss the extension.

The funding for the extension project was finalised by London Underground on November 23 and construction was expected to start next year, with completion due in 2020.

However, it is now uncertain when or even if the work will take place.

READ MORE: Croxley Rail Link will not be completed until 2020, documents reveal

Save Watford Met campaign group opposes the plans, which would see Watford underground close.

Speaking on their behalf, Lester Wagman said: "While it would be a shame if the [unconfirmed] inference that the Metropolitan Line Extension to Watford Junction may have been dropped as a business plan priority for TfL, we would not really be surprised if this is not such a priority for London and that its Mayor, Sadiq Khan, may have concluded this from reviewing the somewhat contrived and shaky business case.

"Naturally residents in the Park ward and west Watford would be relieved if the existing Watford Met Line Station which is convenient and well used (1.85 million entry/exits per annum) is to be reprieved."

The previous version of the TfL Business Plan was published in March by the outgoing London Mayor Boris Johnson and it specifically mentioned the Metropolitan line extension.

Previously known as the Croxley Rail Link, the entension project was managed by Hertfordshire County Council until March of this year when London Underground announced it was to take over responsibility.

The £284.4m cost includes a local contribution of £125.4m, £109.8m from the Department for Transport and £49.2m from Transport for London.

The local funding includes £87.9m from the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, which represents 40 per cent of its total Growth Deal funding from the government.

The Metropolitan Line would be diverted from its current Watford terminus to serve new stations at Cassiobridge and Watford Vicarage Road before joining the current London Overground route south of Watford High Street and run on existing track to Watford Junction.

Most of the route would follow the alignment of a closed branch line, and a 400m viaduct would be built over the Grand Union Canal.

Upon opening of the extension, the existing Metropolitan Line station at Watford would close, but it is to be retained for use as sidings.

Last week, Watford MP Richard Harrington presented a petition signed by 3,000 people opposing the closure of the station to Rail Minister, Paul Maynard MP.

He said he wants to see the extension go ahead, but also keep the underground station open.

London Underground and the Mayor were both contacted for a comment.