An early artist impression of how the overhead link would look

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THE Camden Highline risks becoming a £42million White Elephant as questions were raised over the progress of the scheme, writes Dan Carrier.

The team behind the plan to turn disused railway tracks into an above-ground link between Camden Town and King’s Cross declined to be interviewed as opponents said that they were beginning to think it would now never be built.

Lord Simon Pitkeathley, the head of business group Camden Town Unlimited who has been leading the project, provided the short statement: “The Camden Highline continues to progress, working with all the necessary partners, and has recently launched our Tracking The Heritage project to help tell the story of the area and the Highline’s place in it.”

To date, the Highline project says it has raised over £1million – and has received £400,000 from a Section 106 agreement with King’s Cross developers Argent.

This had been originally earmarked for improving bus services.

Campaign group Future Transport London works with planners and engineers to promote green transport.

It has opposed the Highline since it was first suggested in 2017.

Its secretary Neil Roth said: “It seems to be a white elephant. We have long suspected it is dead in the water, which is frankly good news.

“This project was poorly conceived and would be to the detriment of transport.

“The North London line is such a key element for freight and passengers. The Highline would place a bottle neck at a key point in the network.”

Lord Simon Pitkeathley of Camden Town

Highline backers say passenger and freight rail would be returned in “20 to 30” years’ time.

Mr Roth said: “Where is the money to restore it to a railway route? It would be more than the cost of implementation.”

Transport campaigners say the fact a well used canal towpath already runs from Camden Town to King’s Cross further negates the need.

Mr Roth said: “That is a far more pleasant walk. They had tried to sell the Highline as a new way to go from Camden Town to King’s Cross but you’d do much better spending money on putting better lighting along the towpath and making improvements there. ”

Architect Alice Brown, a member of Climate Emergency Camden, said the scheme had been a waste of money.

She said: “If you are going to spend this kind of money it needs to be spent somewhere where the impact will be permanent.

“It will also require a lot of new infrastructure – steel work, staircases and lifts for access. This will all have a big carbon footprint.

“It would be much better to spend money on proper greening projects on the ground.”