Rachel Holdsworth

10 Places That Should Have A Tube Station

London's tube network has 270 stations and has 402km of track. Yet there are still large sections of this city that aren't on the tube. Here are 10 places that we reckon would benefit from better transport links. Leave your own suggestions in the comments.

South London...

Obviously. If you live in south London the tube map is enough to incite violence. Look at Wembley: Jubilee, Metropolitan, Bakerloo, Overground and National Rail. Who did you blackmail, Wembley? Sydenham would like to know.

And yet, when you look at the London Connections map, which brings together rail lines alongside the tube, it's clear south London is better served than at first appears. There's still a divide where most trains barely get over the river, however, which is enough to start demanding links to the tube network. So let's get specific:

Old Kent Road

The Bakerloo line can't come soon enough. Extending the tube down to Lewisham will either go via Camberwell or Old Kent Road. There are arguments on both sides; but sorry Camberwell, you can claim Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye if you push.

There's a baffling hole right in zone 2, from Queens Road Peckham to Oval, to Elephant and Castle to South Bermondsey. There's nothing. Old Kent Road's time has surely come.

Old Kent Road. The Bakerloo line can't come soon enough. Photo by Paul Steptoe Riley from the Londonist Flickr pool

Camberwell Cemetery

Dulwich is well served with train stations: see East, West and North Dulwich, and Forest Hill to the east. Yet there's a curious gap around the south circular, centred on Camberwell Cemetery (not actually in Camberwell; again, sorry Camberwell). Let's rectify that.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich

This hospital is appallingly served by public transport. Yes, you can get local buses but it's a royal pain to get to. It's tempting to cry out for an entire line to run between Woolwich and Eltham, but we'll stick to planning for just one station with desperate public transport need.

Richmond Park

It must be strange to live in the middle of Richmond Park. There's a whole ring of train lines encircling the park and Wimbledon Common, but nothing going in between. If you happen to live in, say, Ringwood Gardens, your nearest station is a 40 minute walk away. On the other hand you do have two of London's greatest green spaces on your doorstep, so it's swings and roundabouts.

Photo by roll the dice from the Londonist Flickr pool

King's Road

Moving north of the river... Look, Chelsea, we have to talk. We know some of you don't want Crossrail 2. But those of us who don't live there, and want to come and visit, are fed up with getting off at Sloane Square and trekking down King's Road. How about a nice Circle or District line station instead? Would that be more to your liking? It'd make our lives easier.

Parkway

Another gap between lines appears between the Central as it branches north west to Ruislip, and the train line out to Slough. How about extending the Central line from Ealing Broadway out to The Parkway? We could have a stop where it crosses Greenford Road, too.

Muswell Hill

To the west is the Northern line, to the east is the Piccadilly, with a national rail line into Moorgate. And Muswell Hill sits by itself — on top of a bloody hill which, no, we're not walking up after a hard day at the office. Put a Northern line spur in, maybe close to the site of old Muswell Hill station where Muswell Hill Primary School is today.

North Finchley

Just tidying up loose ends, really. There's East, West and Central but North Finchley, where there's a bus station, has always confused the hell out of us. Where do you catch the damn bus? Why are there two major streets that buses run along? Just put a tube station in and make it all easier.

Claybury Park

Pity those who live and work within the Hainault Loop. The Central line is all around, yet never stopping nearby. Could it not do a little jink and pick up people from the centre?