The viability of a Crossrail 2 station in Tooting Broadway will be examined during a series of geological studies during the next six weeks, Transport for London has confirmed. 

January 21: "We campaigned hard for Tooting Broadway": Wandsworth Council lays out position on Crossrail 2

December 24: Sadiq Khan pushes for Crossrail 2 responses as consultation deadline looms

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

During the second consultation on the proposed route, TfL stated Balham was its preferred option, as ground conditions at Tooting Broadway mean work there would take two years longer and cost twice as much.

TfL stated it had not ruled out Tooting Broadway as an option, despite the consultation only asking for views on Balham, not Tooting Broadway.

Michele Dix, TfL’s managing director for Crossrail 2, said: "We received more than 20,000 responses to our recent consultation and are currently analysing these ahead of publishing a consultation report in the spring.

"We are still at the early stages of developing Crossrail 2 and have always been clear that no final decisions had been made: this remains the case.

"We are looking at ways to mitigate the concerns raised through the consultation along the whole route.

"At both Tooting and Balham we are undertaking further engineering and development work and we will share our updated proposals later in the year."

Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, asked that TfL continued to consider Tooting Broadway, even with the extended time and cost.

He said: "Currently, the position is that Balham remains TfL’s preferred option.

"However, TfL concedes that Tooting has a stronger development case than Balham. Once the results of the economic assessment are known next month, TfL has agreed to share those with me and I will be sure to scrutinise them closely.

"During the construction phase, however, there could be serious implications for Tooting town centre if it does end up being the chosen location and residents mustn’t underestimate the impact on them and businesses of eight year’s drilling and construction.

"These considerations, along with the results of the geological and economic surveys, must be very carefully considered during this process and a decision must not be taken lightly on which location to choose."

Dan Watkins, who ran a website with David Dean, the candidate for Merton and Wandsworth's Greater London Authority seat, to gather views on both options from people in Wandsworth, welcomed the surveys.

He said: "This additional research will allow a full evaluation of the benefits and costs of Tooting as compared with Balham, which will then be subject to a further engagement exercise with local people, before a preferred station is chosen in the summer.

"Many of us were very concerned that Balham was going to be chosen for the station site prematurely, without all of the benefits of Tooting having being fully considered, nor with alternative construction options having been evaluated."

In a separate statement, a spokesman for TfL said: "I can confirm that our position on Tooting Broadway has not changed. We are still considering all the options and no decision has been made.

"An economic impact assessment is currently underway and the results will be made available next month."