Proposals to extend the Docklands Light Railway from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside are to be progressed to the next stage by Transport for London with the aim of boosting connectivity and providing new journey options for east London. The extension is one part of the proposals for the area which also includes improved bus services.
Transport for London and its partners have now submitted a Strategic Outline Case to the Government to receive support for the next stage of the work to progress these plans. The business case for the scheme outlines how an extension of the DLR could have a transformative effect on the area.
Nothing is set in stone as to what exactly the scheme would comprise with a number of different options being considered around two key transport improvements:
- A DLR extension from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside, connecting two Opportunity Areas and four development sites. A new DLR station would be built at Beckton Riverside, with a tunnel under the River Thames linked to another DLR station at Thamesmead.
- A Bus Transit scheme using dedicated infrastructure from Woolwich to Abbey Wood via Thamesmead to improve local connectivity and capacity in the wider Thamesmead area. This would include reliable, accessible and frequent connections to the Elizabeth line as well as DLR services provided by bus priority to take major bottlenecks and upgrading bus stops and surrounding environments.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, commented: “Since 2016, I’m proud to have started a record-breaking 116,000 genuinely affordable homes and, in recent years, we have also completed more homes of all types than at any time since the 1930s. But, the demand for housing in London continues to grow, and I’m determined to unlock the infrastructure needed for the capital’s growth. Extending the DLR would unlock huge opportunities for London. It would support tens of thousands of new homes, deliver new transport connections, and boost the economy – supporting the creation of thousands of jobs. Investment in our transport network is key to building a better, fairer, more prosperous London for all.”
It is hoped that providing new public transport options such as these would support low-carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, unlocking the delivery of up to 25,000-30,000 new homes along the extended route, as well as improving connectivity across the river and providing alternatives to private car use to lower future emission and resulting pollution levels.
The aim is to agree an affordable solution by 2025 to allow construction to begin in 2028 and the extension opening to passengers in the early 2030s. It is currently unfunded with cash for the feasibility study having come from a partnership of private and public sector bodies.