Trains will start running regularly on the Northern line extension from Kennington to Battersea Power Station from September 20, according to Transport for London (TfL).
The transport agency is running six trains per hour at peak times on the extension, or a train every ten minutes. This should increase to twelve trains by mid-2022. The service will have five trains per hour at off-peak times, doubling to ten next year.
Trial services have been running on the service, which goes via Nine Elms, on weekends since July. Work began on the extension, the first on the Underground this century, in 2015. When trial services began it was hoped that the extension would open fully in August but this was pushed back.
About 100 members of station staff are being trained to work with the two step-free Tube stations, and drivers are practising the new route.
Both Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms are in Zone 1. Kennington recently changed from Zone 1 to Zone 1 and 2 because of the extension, meaning that passengers should not have to pay more to travel to the new stations.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “After an incredible effort from the huge number of people who worked on this project, it’s fantastic that we are now on the final countdown to the Northern Line Extension opening later this month.
“The two new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station are the first new stations on the Northern line for 80 years. They will hugely improve connectivity between these two areas and the rest of London, and play a major part in the capital’s recovery from the pandemic by supporting thousands of new jobs, homes and businesses.”
Stuart Harvey, Director of Major Projects at TfL, said: “In just a few weeks’ time, we’ll be opening the first major Tube extension this century and welcoming our first customers to the new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. It has been a huge collaborative effort with our London-based stakeholders and suppliers from around the UK.
“It’s going to be a fantastic moment when this thriving south London neighbourhood makes it onto the Tube map for the first time, which will also highlight the vital importance of public transport in connecting communities and assisting London in its continuing recovery from the pandemic.’
