Croxley Rail Link: Politicians lobby TFL over West Watford station name

Politicians in the town have written to Transport for London urging that the new station proposed for Vicarage Road is named after the road.

The move comes after councillors were told the authority currently favours the name "West Watford" as it no longer wanted to name tube stations after roads.

However politicians have argued that "Vicarage Road" is a name recognised far outside of Watford, due to its association with Watford FC, and is the name favoured locally.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, the leader of Hertfordshire County Council Liberal Democrat group, said: "I believe Vicarage Road would be far more appropriate as it has far greater significance. Vicarage Road has the hospital, the health campus and the football stadium.

"Ultimately the trend for (Transport for London) is they do not think it is appropriate to name stations after road names even though many tube stations are named after road names."

The Labour county councillor for West Watford, Nigel Bell, said in his conversations with local residents they tended to favour the "Vicarage Road" option.

He said: "When I speak to people they want to see it as Vicarage Road as they associate it with football ground and everyone knows that. Although they probably would not mind "West Watford".

The lobbying comes as the Transport for London board is set to discuss the names of the two new stations at the end of the month.

Last week councillors were told that the authority was minded to name the other new station, planned for Ascot Road, as "Cassiobridge".

Earlier suggestions had been for the new station to be called Cassio Bridge, but local historians have made the case for the station name to be one word.

They have argued that the original farm near the road was called Cassiobridge the one word moniker would be more in keeping with the area’s history.

Ecological works began last month along the route of the £118-million project to link the Metropolitan Line with Watford Junction Station.

Under current plans the line will divert from Croxley Station through to the new Ascot Road and Vicarage Road stations, before linking to Watford High Street station and terminating at Watford Junction.

The fate of Watford Metropolitan Station is yet to be decided by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who has the final say on whether it will remain open to passengers.

Under the current scheme the station will be used purely as a siding for trains.