Reopening Camberwell Station could be the solution to the area’s poor transport links, according to the Lib Dem candidate for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green.
Chris French said bringing the station, which has been closed to passengers for over 100 years, back into use “would go some way opening up another type of transport for the area, along with an extension to the Bakerloo Line”.
While Vauxhall is well connected, some constituents live in areas with a Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of 2 out of 6 or lower.
Public transport in Southwark largely falls under Transport for London’s remit but MPs can put pressure on central government and the Mayor to help their constituents. Here is what Vauxhall and Camberwell Green residents said they would do for public transport:
Chris French – Liberal Democrat: ‘I support reopening Camberwell Station and the Bakerloo Line extension’
“Take the situation of residents in Vauxhall and Camberwell Green who will soon lose their surgery on Lambeth Walk and have to travel almost 2 miles to the Akerman surgery, near Myatts’ Field. There is no direct or easy route, especially for those who have mobility needs.
“There was a campaign to reopen Camberwell Station, which would provide the first rail connection in Camberwell since 1916. This would go some way opening up another type of transport for the area, along with an extension to the Bakerloo Line to the area both of which I support.”
Florence Eshalomi – Labour: ‘Expand the TfL network, especially routes between residential estates and local amenities’
“Public transport is a vital part of a thriving city and it is especially essential for the independence of young people, the elderly and those with mobility issues. It is also central to cleaning up London’s polluted air.
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“I will always fight for stronger transport links in our area and work in partnership with our Labour Mayor to expand the network, especially routes between residential estates and local amenities that communities depend on.”
Catherine Dawkins – Green: ‘More buses and cycle paths’
“Access to reliable and affordable transport is key for our neighbourhood and I campaigned against cuts to the proposed bus routes from Labour which are vital for Camberwell and surrounding areas.
“I’ll push for more buses, better transport links, and safer cycling paths to make getting around Camberwell easier and greener, so we can rely less on cars.”
Aarti Joshi – Conservative: ‘I support the extension of the Bakerloo Line’
‘I support the extension of the Bakerloo Line as originally envisaged and this could be financed by emulating the success of the London Docklands Development Corporation and setting up an Enterprise Zone in the area around the Old Kent Road. A world leading city needs a world leading transport system.”
Mike King – Reform
Southwark News was unable to reach Mike King to get his responses to our General Election 2024 questions.
Seat Analysis
The newly constituted Vauxhall and Camberwell Green is considered a Labour stronghold. Vauxhall, which makes up its bulk, has consistently voted Labour since 1929. In 2019, Labour’s Florence Eshalomi took 56.1 per cent of the vote share. Her nearest rival was Liberal Democrat Sarah Lewis who took 21.3 per cent. Newly added areas like Newington and Camberwell Green are also strong Labour areas.
Vauxhall is diverse ethnically, culturally and economically. Although the area has traditional working-class roots, major redevelopments in recent years have seen more affluent residents move into the area. There is also a very strong LGBTQ+ community. According to the most recent census, 10 per cent of residents identify as LGBTQ+. That is the third most in the UK, surpassed only by Brighton Pavillion and Brighton Kemptown.
The Constituency’s History
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green is a brand new constituency, created following the Boundary Commission’s recommendations. It is mainly made from the old Vauxhall constituency but Camberwell Green has been added on, having previously been part of Peckham and Camberwell. Newington has also joined having previously been a part of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Areas like Clapham Common and Clapham High Street have meanwhile been taken away and added to the new Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency. The redrawing of boundary lines has been controversial, with some pointing out that Camberwell Green has few cultural or historical ties to Vauxhall.
Vauxhall has consistently voted in Labour MPs since 1929 except in 1931. A 1989 by-election saw Kate Hoey elected to the seat, which she held until 2019 before resigning from the party. Hoey proved to be a prominent, albeit controversial figure within the Labour Party. Her socially conservative views sometimes made her stand out among more progressive colleagues. She also campaigned to leave the EU despite strong support for remain among her constituents. She also spent much of her life in favour of a United Ireland although became more pro-union as her career progressed.
In 2019, Hoey announced she would not stand in at the next general election. Florence Eshalomi was elected in December 2019 in a bruising election for the party nationally which saw Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour secure just 202 seats. Eshalomi, formerly a Lambeth councillor and London Assembly member, is a lifelong Brixton resident who attended local state schools. In her maiden speech to the House of Commons, she said: “I never imagined that almost five years to the day, as I was literally pacing up and down the maternity ward, looking over the river, trying to coerce my daughter to come out, I would now be sat in this Parliament fighting for funding for our hard-working doctors and nurses.”
The 2019 election results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote Share (%) | Percentage +/- |
| Labour | Florence Eshalomi | 31,165 | 56.1 | -1.2 |
| Liberal Democrat | Sarah Lewis | 12,003 | 12.3 | +0.8 |
| Conservative | Sarah Bool | 9.422 | 16.7 | -1.9 |
| Green | Jacqueline Bond | 2,516 | 4.5 | +2.5 |
| Brexit Party | Andrew McGuinness | 641 | 1.1 | NEW |
| Independent | Salah Faissal | 136 | 0.2 | NEW |
What are the candidates’ key pledges?
Florence Eshalomi – Labour
- Deliver free breakfast clubs at every primary school in Vauxhall &Camberwell Green, to ease childcare costs for young families.
- Introduce a new network of youth hubs to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce violent crime among young people.
- Support the building of genuinely affordable homes and strengthen the rights of renters in our area, including a complete ban on no-fault evictions.
Chris French – Liberal Democrat
- A fair deal for local tenants and leaseholders.
- Take on Thames Water over raw sewage dumped in the Thames. Clean up our local environment.
- Stand up for our local LGBTQ+ community.
Catherine Dawkins – Green
- Improve Public Transport: I pledge to enhance bus services, extend transport networks, and invest in cycling infrastructure to make commuting in Vauxhall and Camberwell Green easier, greener, and more sustainable.
- Promote Inclusive and Affordable Housing: I pledge to ensure that all new residential developments in the constituency include a minimum of 50% affordable housing, engaging local communities in the planning process to create inclusive, sustainable neighbourhoods.
- Environmental and social justice: I pledge that all policies – from housing to education – will be fair and just for the environment and for people. A clean, green future is the only way to truly deliver for local communities and protect the world we live in.
Aarti Joshi – Conservative
- Improve housing quality and availability.
- Tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.
- Better education and opportunities.
