Sutton will get more than £14 million to double the number of trains to Belmont to make it easier to access the town’s growing cancer research centre.

The cash is expected to be used to turn the single track between Sutton and Belmont stations into a dual track as it originally was.

At the moment, just one train can travel on the route at a time.

It also includes creating a new short track south of Belmont to allow trains to move onto the other line.

Having a track going either way will mean services between Belmont and London Victoria could be increased from two to four trains an hour.

Sutton is one of the London borough’s worst served by public transport and improvements are necessary for the ongoing development of the London Cancer Hub.

Belmont is a 10-minute walk from the hub and is also the closest station to High Down and Downview prisons.

The hub is a partnership between Sutton Council, The Institute of Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden and the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust.

When completed, it will be a global centre for cancer research and create up to 13,000 new jobs.

The site includes Harris Academy Sutton which has capacity for more than 1,000 pupils.

Across the Royal Marsden and new specialist emergency hospital, being built by the Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Trust, patient numbers area expected to rise to more than 1,500 a day from 2027.

Sutton Council leader, Ruth Dombey, said: “Im delighted the government has awarded us Levelling Up Funding and backed our plan to make Sutton a more connected borough.

“I’d like to thank our partners, The Royal Marsden, Institute of Cancer Research, the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and Harris Academy Sutton who backed our cross party bid from the start.

“It’s a step in the right direction for Sutton residents, who for decades have received the least transport investment per person in London.

“Alongside celebrating this brilliant win, we’ll continue to fight for Sutton’s fair share of public transport investment, and I now repeat my call to the Mayor of London to contact me to discuss how he can help to make Sutton a better connected borough and close the transport gap between inner and outer London.”

The success comes after the authority was unsuccessful for a similar bid of £32 million in October 2021.

Assembly member for Sutton and Croydon welcomed the news on Twitter. Neil Garratt said: “This is excellent news. Not just £14 million for better, more frequent train service into Belmont but a major part of the plan to support the London Cancer Hub in Belmont.”

While MP for Sutton, Paul Scully, said: “Having supported Sutton’s bid to the Levelling Up Fund, it’s great news that it’s been successful. £14.1m is being invested for a dual tracking project at Belmont station, better connecting commuters in Sutton to London.”