Wandsworth Council still backs Tooting Broadway instead of Balham for a Crossrail 2 station, as its full response to Transport for London's consultation is revealed.

During TfL's first consultation on the route, the council backed Tooting Broadway as one of the station's stops in the borough alongside Clapham Junction in Battersea.

January 8: Jane Ellison "not convinced" by Balham arguments and Sadiq Khan backs Tooting Broadway, as TfL's consultation closes

December 19: St George's Hospital Trust announces support for Tooting Broadway in Crossrail 2 plans​

December 2: Save Wandsworth Common campaign returns as Balham vs Tooting Broadway bring shaft threats back​

October 27: Tooting Broadway battles Balham as key consultation is launched on Crossrail 2

In the days before the second consultation was announced, Councillor Jonathan Cook revealed he believed TfL would consult on Balham instead.

TfL has said that Tooting Broadway presents geological difficulties, which would result in a longer and more expensive project.

The council has said that it needs to consider if TfL made the decision to route through Balham instead of Tooting Broadway "prematurely" and see additional evidence linked to the realignment.

The council's response states: "It was considered that this would provide further economic regeneration to the Tooting Broadway area and greater accessibility to employment for its residents.

"These benefits are not considered to be as great at Balham. "For this reason, the council is opposed to the revised alignment between Clapham Junction and Wimbledon, which proposes an intermediate station at Balham, as outlined in the consultation.

"It is important that TfL undertake a full and open evaluation of the route options, particularly the difference in costs and benefits between a station at Balham and Tooting Broadway.

"This should include a full evaluation of the socio-economic, operational, financial and environmental issues."

The council statement calls on TfL to consider an alternative "amenable" site in Tooting Broadway that would enable the work to be done at a lower cost.

It also criticised TfL for failing to include specific questions on Tooting Broadway, only allowing people to respond to a question on Balham.

The response notes the opposition from residents to a shaft on Wandsworth Common, whether the route goes through Tooting Broadway or Balham.

In November, the council earmarked £10,000 to pay for expert advice on the route options.

It is not clear how much has been spent so far, but a council spokesman confirmed the money "helped us respond to the current consultation and will also fund future responses once TfL has conducted more detailed ground testing".

The council‘s transport spokesman Councillor Jonathan Cook said: "We have campaigned long and hard for Tooting Broadway to be a major part of Crossrail 2 and our position has not changed.

"We remain convinced that the economic and social benefits of sticking to the original route are strong enough to outweigh and overcome any engineering challenges.

"TfL need to come up with a much more solid and persuasive case to justify their new thinking.

"It will take a lot more to convince us that Tooting is not the right destination for this new tube link."