Brent Cross West is celebrating its first birthday this week – having seen over half a million journeys made through the station in the first year.

The award-winning Brent Cross West Thameslink station was opened on 10 December 2023 and has since become a popular destination for both commuters and leisure travellers living in or visiting the area.

Some 575,000 journeys have been made to and from Brent Cross West since it opened with nearly 2,000 journeys now being made each day.

Celebrating Brent Cross West

A first anniversary party took place this afternoon, Tuesday 10 December, which was led by Barnet Council’s Cricklewood Ward Councillors Anne Clarke and Alan Schneiderman. Together with commuters, community members and Thameslink station staff led by Marc Asamoah, they marked the occasion with a birthday cake, games and activities on the impressive station concourse.

Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change and Cricklewood Ward Member said: “Brent Cross West station has been a welcomed addition to the neighbourhood.

“One year on we can see the positive impact it has had in the community, making it much easier for people to get around the area, as well as helping us on our way to become a net zero borough. I’m pleased to see it becoming a well-used and well-loved station.”

The major milestone marks years of hard work by teams led by Barnet Council, one of the first local authorities in England to deliver a rail infrastructure project. When it opened last year, it was the first mainline station to open in London in over a decade.

For existing communities, it provides new ways to get around the area and more sustainable travel options. With eight trains an hour at peak times, it is also transformative for northwest London, better connecting the Brent Cross area with the rest of the capital and beyond.

The gateway to a new neighbourhood

Brent Cross West is part of the biggest redevelopment and growth programme Barnet Council has ever undertaken and one of the most ambitious in Europe. It is essential to unlocking wider development in the area and has been designed as a gateway to a new neighbourhood, Brent Cross Town, a 180-acre, net zero development being delivered in partnership between Barnet Council and Related Argent.

Brent Cross Town will bring thousands of jobs and opportunities to the area, with plans to deliver 6,700 new homes, 3 million sq ft of offices creating space for 25,000 workers, along with a new high street. With eight buildings completed or underway, alongside new parks and retail units, the popularity of the station is set to grow as the new neighbourhood develops over the coming years.

An award-winning station

Over the past year, Brent Cross West has been recognised in several industry awards most recently taking home a New London Awards 2024 in the ‘Transport & Infrastructure’ category; which is supported by the Mayor of London and celebrates excellence in architecture, planning and developments in London.

The station won the London Construction Awards 2024 in two categories, Excellence in Community Engagement and Project Team of the Year.  The station also won a Pineapples 2024 Awards in the ‘Infrastructure’ category, which celebrates projects and places that make a positive social, environmental and economic impact.

Take a look back at how we built Brent Cross West in our short video.

Read more about Brent Cross West and the wider regeneration programme here.