Tooting Broadway has proved the more popular choice for a Crossrail 2 station, months of consultation work has revealed.

In October, Transport for London (TfL) announced it would examine Balham as its preferred option instead of Tooting Broadway because of difficult ground conditions in the area.

Wandsworth Council, St George's Hospital and the MP Sadiq Khan threw their weight behind the campaign for Tooting Broadway throughout the consultation.

Thousands of people responded to the survey or signed petitions.

March 8: More engineering works to examine potential of Crossrail 2 at Tooting Broadway

January 21: "We campaigned hard for Tooting Broadway": Wandsworth Council lays out position on Crossrail 2​

January 8: Jane Ellison "not convinced" by Balham arguments and Sadiq Khan backs Tooting Broadway, as TfL's consultation closes​

More than 4,000 people answered the question "do you have any comments about the proposals for a Crossrail 2 station at Balham?" with 83 per cent of respondents raising issues and concerns, nine per cent supporting the plan and nine per cent unsure.

Of 2,589 comments about a station in Balham, 1,774 respondents supported a station at Tooting Broadway, with 246 saying it provided more benefits than one in Balham, and 121 people saying there was stronger local support for the Tooting station.

More than 1,500 people said Balham has sufficient transport links, with 182 specifically noting the need for more links in Tooting. Nearly 120 people said Crossrail 2 in Balham would add to the capacity bottleneck the station suffers already.

Nearly 1,000 people noted Tooting Broadway was in "greater need" of redevelopment than Balham.

More than 500 people were concerned about the disruption to Balham town centre, which would lose its branch of Waitrose in the construction, while 189 people were worried about the shaft being built on Wandsworth Common and its potential impact on schools.

There were 575 supportive comments of the Balham station, including remarks such as "very much in favour".

Mr Khan MP for Tooting said: "It comes as no surprise that the consultation results show that residents wish to see Tooting Broadway considered instead of Balham.

"My position as local MP, one which I expressed very clearly to Crossrail 2 during the consultation, is that I stand with local residents, resolute that the cost and more challenging nature of building the Tooting Broadway site should not deter TfL from considering it as the more viable option."

One of the issues raised with the change of route through Balham was the reappearance of a shaft on Wandsworth Common, which campaigners had fought to have moved when the route was planned through Tooting Broadway.

There were 1,555 comments against proposals for a shaft on the common, including statements such as "sounds like an eyesore on a lovely common".

TfL received 282 supportive comments for the shaft, with one person calling it "essential".

Mr Khan said: "The proposal at Balham would mean that access and ventilation shafts would need to be built on Wandsworth Common, one of a few local green spaces.

"The Common is well-used by many local residents including families with young children and school groups. I understand that should the shafts be built on the Common that this will cause irreversible damage.

"I fully support calls for TfL to look for alternative locations for the shafts on the Common."

Jonathan Cook, deputy leader of Wandsworth Council, said that the level of response from people in the borough showed how engaged residents were.

In total, according to the consultation, 4,173 people in Wandsworth responded, of a population of approximately 307,000 people.

He said: "I think that people take the same view as the council, that it coming to Wandsworth is an extremely good thing, as it will be fantastic for Clapham Junction to be super connected.

"The vast majority of the borough see the question of Balham and Tooting Broadway quite the same way we do.

"There is a very strong view from residents that it should be Tooting Broadway, and I was quite confident that would be the case."

Cllr Cook said he would continue to urge TfL to do more work into the economic case and benefits for Tooting Broadway. 

Dan Watkins, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Tooting, said: "We achieved a very large local response to the consultation, which showed most people opposing the station at Balham and the vent shaft on Wandsworth Common. 

"In addition, our BalhamOrTooting survey, which gets included in the Crossrail 2 report, shows local people casting a positive vote for the station in Tooting Broadway. Thanks to the many local residents who contributed to the survey.

"Together we can keep building the case for Tooting and I will continue to do all I can to ensure Transport for London listens to local people."