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He claims to be a "tantric master", has set up an eco-nightclub powered by dancing, and wants to be a Tory MP.
Now Andrew Charalambous, the self-styled "Dr Earth" fighting to win Labour-held Edmonton at the next election, has unveiled plans to establish his own Tube line on what is now a cycle lane.
The 38-year-old entrepreneur wants to resurrect a hidden rail route leading from Stratford to Edmonton Green shopping centre. The line would run along an existing trackbed built in the Sixties but never used except as a cycle route. The project to extend the Jubilee line from Stratford would create an interchange at Tottenham Hale, before continuing to a new station.
Mr Charalambous said: "It would regenerate an area that desperately needs it." He claims he could win the estimated £60million cost from the European Regional Development Fund.
A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "The Mayor's draft transport strategy includes many proposals to improve the network and we're hoping to hear suggestions from all corners. "
Reader views (12)
"...is this the highly intriguing "West London Orbital" proposal running from Surbiton to Brent Cross via Kingston, Richmond, Brentford, Ealing and Wembley?"take longer than the political cycle,
Er no, the "North and West London Light Railway" isn't actually the "West London Orbital" - but you can Google both to find out more.
The fact remains that while transport projects take longer than the political cycle to construct, few politicians are ever going to be that bothered, since they will never get the praise - only their successors will.
- Jay, London
"The Conservative transport strategy mentions keeping all abandoned track beds for future use. "
Which is a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has been boiled down for glue - they don't generally exist any more as complete routes, at least not without substantial costs of rehousing people whose homes and businesses are now on the trackbed. Or, for that matter, moving roads, many constructed in the 1980s. Cycle paths, fortunately, are quite easy to shift, as is happening with the Airdrie-Bathgate reopening in Scotland. The Scots are way ahead of us on this.
By the way, the excellent London Reconnections blog did a series on possible DLR extensions based on a report (Horizons 2020) TfL commissioned a few years ago. This costed extending the DLR from Stratford to Tottenham Hale at £363m, so obviously Mr. Charalambous is talking out of his creative bottom thinking you can upgrade that to a full Tube line and extend to Edmonton for a sixth of the price.
Sadly, with the advent of Boris, DLR extensions are off the agenda for a while (and Ealing and Harrow can go whistle for their railway, too - is this the highly intriguing West London Orbital proposal running from Surbiton to Brent Cross via Kingston, Richmond, Brentford, Ealing and Wembley?).
- Tom, London, UK
Ideas great but I think the costs seem a bit on the cheap side, still if it breathes life into Edmonton great I am all for it.
Edmonton needs people to have access to real jobs in Canary Wharf This is a two way deal!!! jobs for the people and monies from the salaries earned could be spent in Edmonton Green helping the local economy ....Get the finances right it could work..is this a proposal??? I need to hear more.
- From Edmonton, Edmonton N.18
The Jbbilee line ends at Greenwich but given overcrowding on the SE London National Rail network should be extended to Charlton, Woolwich, Abbey Wood , Dartford and Bexleyheath, Welling Crayford Dartford, and Blackheath, Lewisham, Catford ect. .
- Clif, London
He does make a valid point about old railway lines. The Conservative transport strategy mentions keeping all abandoned rack beds for future use.
For instance, it would be possible to reconnect the two branches of the Northern Line in Barnet, like up to 1939.
- Jay10, Finchley
I agree with Melvyn, this man is a genius. He is very creative. Although a Greek by origin he also supports Turkey's accession to the EU. Turks love him.
- Turgat Hassan, london
I cannot better Tom of London's critique of this madcap and ill thought plan.
A much more realistic proposal is that of MP Andy Love, for a shuttle service from Seven Sisters, which would double the service to Edmonton, Green, Enfield Town and Cheshunt. This would require little or no civil engineering, and, with the willingness of the various transport authorities, could be introduced within a very short timescale.
Add to that, the imminent introduction of Oyster card technology (the hardware is already in place) and stations from Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Edmonton Green would have a near tube-type service to Seven Sisters, with a relatively easy interchange with the Victoria Line – an interchange that would be a lot easier and sooner, were it not for Mayor Boris Johnson’s budget cuts putting the Seven Sisters upgrade on the back burner.
- Ray, Edmonton, UK
Much better to connect Edmonton westwards in an orbital line around the North Circular. It could then connect up to the DLR-like "North and West London Railway" that Ealing and Harrow councils are backing in principle (unanimous full council decisions made last April).
An orbital line in outer London is desperately needed - Boris's "Outer London Commission" looked at the idea, but was nobbled by City Hall economists to stop any strategic planning, and the idea was kicked into the long grass.
- Jay, London
He has shown more insight in 5 minutes than Boris will have in a lifetime!!!
I would go further and use this route to extend HS1 to meet the ECML at Welwyn and create a high speed line to Leeds etc..
If the above is not possible the extension of the DLR would make more sense as it can be expanded into a network serving North East London.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
He looks like a character from Little Britain - are you sure this is for real .... or is it just a joke.
Inquiring minds demand to know
Joe
- Joe, Kiev, Ukraine
Hopefully this loon will one day be Mayor of London.
- James, London, UK
If he really thinks £60m will buy him much in the way of railway infrastructure he's clearly far too ignorant to be trusted with political power. Why haven't the Tories managed to find anyone competent, they've had twelve years? Instead we get a stream of non-entities with good PR skills, and some really amateur ideas.
Anyway, if anyone wants to read up on the background to this, Google for "LOWER EDMONTON LOW LEVEL". You'll find what Mr. Charalambous is talking about is a short section of line *closed* in 1965 and partly built on since, although a bit survives as a cycle path. The problem and cost comes because you presumably use the Lea Valley lines to get to Stratford from there, and they already have a service of proper big trains. You'd have to electrify the line with third and fourth rail (including all necessary signalling immunisation), grade-separate a number of junctions (which itself is a >£60m price tag) and work out how to avoid importing delays from the main line onto the Jubilee.
Alternatively you could build a parallel double-track tube line down the eastern side of the line from Angel Road, but you're talking telephone number costs for that. There is room most of the way, though, except near Temple Mills where someone's inconsiderately put the Eurostar depot, plus the Jubilee platforms are on the far side of Stratford station, and I've no idea how he's expected to get there. It's a nonsensical idea at that price.
- Tom, London, UK
