The Mayor of London said despite new government backing for Crossrail 2, plans will still look to minimise the impact on Wimbledon town centre.

It comes after Sadiq Khan and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling agreed in a meeting last week there was 'no doubt' London needed new infrastructure.

During his campaign trail in March 2016, Mayor Khan spoke against the Crossrail 2 proposals for Wimbledon town centre in a small business talk in Morden.

Speaking exclusively to the Wimbledon Guardian last year, he said: “Crossrail 2 is a good thing. But we need to be careful that in the process we don’t kill off hard working businesses that do so much in some of the station locations, including Wimbledon.

“The current plans are bad for Wimbledon... I do want a station in Wimbledon, but the issue is the footprint and how big it is.”

Following the announcement, a spokesperson for the Mayor said: "Crossrail 2 is essential for the future prosperity of London and the south east, and will create thousands of new jobs over the coming decades.

"The Strategic Outline Business Case is now being looked at, and we hope to proceed with a public consultation early next year. No decisions have been yet made on the design of the scheme.

"The consultation would seek the views of all local residents and business people to ensure their views are properly heard. This would include looking at how any Crossrail 2 station at Wimbledon would minimise the impact on the town centre, while maximising the benefits for everyone who lives and works in the area."

Sara Sharp, from the Save Wimbledon Town campaign, said: “I would like to see where the money will come from. What will be sacrificed to make this happen?

“We don’t want the whole town destroyed for the sake of commuters coming through our door.

“If it’s going to be a budget option that destroys the town centre, then no thank you.”

Crossrail 2 is a proposed railway line that would run as far north as Broxbourne in Hertfordshire and as far south as Epsom in Surrey, passing through south London stations such as Wimbledon, Balham and Tooting Bec.

Current proposals illustrate how large areas of Wimbledon town centre, including Centre Court Shopping Centre and the Everyday Church, may be demolished to make way for Crossrail 2.

The announcement by the Department of Transport also stated a review of how London could fund the scheme during construction needed to be carried out. The capital is expected to fund half of Crossrail 2.

It comes less than a week after the Government came under fire for scrapping long-awaited rail electrification plans in Wales, the Midlands and the North.