This is a really important new line because it will mean for the first time overground rail services connecting up to form a complete circle around London.

Not only that, but plans by the council and local developers will see this whole area grow hugely over the next few years.

Almost 10,000 new homes are going to be built in North Lewisham all within walking distance of where the new station was originally planned. In addition up to 6,000 new jobs will be created within the station’s catchment area. It has been calculated that a new station would actually be used by between 1.6 and 2.4 million passengers a year.

So a new station has always been planned for this critical part of the new rail link for years – and £7 million of funding has been set aside by the Department for Transport as a major contribution towards the estimated total cost of the station of less than £10 million.

Despite all this, the critical importance of the new link in this area and the fact that government money has been offered, TfL is asking if we actually need a new station.