Councillors are pressing for a tube station to be built in Harlow after the town’s council confirmed it will lobby for an extension of the Central line and London Transport Zones.

Harlow Council also said it will examine connectivity to Crossrail 2, which runs from Surrey to Hertfordshire and connects their stations to London, as well as improving current public transport links in and out of the town.

But an expert suggested ticket prices may get cheaper and house prices may rise, but journey times will not necessarily get any faster.

Portfolio Holder for strategic growth, Michael Hardware, said: "With Harlow’s close proximity to London our plans include investigating the potential for the extension of the central line to Harlow, lobbying to extend London Transport Zones to Harlow, examining connectivity to Crossrail 2 and promoting four tracking of the mainline to Stansted Airport as well as improving existing public transport links in and out of the town.

"Our Town Plan, which will detail our ambitions, is being developed at present. A draft of the plan will be brought forwards within weeks and we will be involving the whole town in our vision with full consultation on the plan be held in the autumn."

The Conservative councillor for Staple Tye added: "The draft plan will include our ambitions for levelling up transport infrastructure and much more besides."

The developments are part of the Town Plan, which would see Harlow expand by 19,000 homes and to a population of 130,000 people.

Transport for London (TfL), which currently runs a Central Line service that terminates at Epping, says it is unaware of any engagement with Harlow Council.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Dr James Fowler, lecturer in management at The University of Essex Business School and author of London Transport: A Hybrid in History 1905-48, said there was "no doubt" a tube station would be beneficial for Harlow, but residents should "check the small print" over factors like journey times.

He said: "I know that Harlow is very well served already, so the big question is how fast is that connection once it goes in.

"Your speed of getting into town on the tube is the real convenience, so that’s the thing that people in Harlow would want to watch and see what they get at the end of it.

"If you’re weighing up prices, look at what it costs to get in from Amersham or Chesham, or one of those towns right out on the far end of the Metropolitan line, and you’re right out in the countryside, that’s about where it would be on the end of an extended central line."

Dr Fowler added: "It will do a lot for house prices because the map is important and either you’re on that map or you are not. Obviously it would put you on that map unambiguously."

According to TfL’s single fare finder, a contactless single from Amersham to Liverpool Street costs £4.30 off peak, £7.20 peak, and takes 65 minutes. Meanwhile, according to The Trainline, an Overground single from Harlow Town to Liverpool Street costs £14.50 and takes 35 minutes.

The average price paid for a house in Harlow over the last year is £342,943 according to Zoopla and £336,827 according to Rightmove.

The Harlow Town Plan also includes the move of Public Health England headquarters, a new hospital, a new Innovation Park for science and technology-focused businesses and the growth of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.

The plan went to the council's Cabinet policy development working group last Thursday and is due to be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on September 1 before public consultation.