Transport for London (TfL) has published the consultation report on plans for a cross-river extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside. With the majority of respondents supportive of the proposals.
58 per cent of respondents said the extension would make their journeys quicker around their local area and 75 per cent said it would make journeys into wider east and southeast London easier.
The consultation, launched earlier this year, received 1,254 responses from members of the public and 29 from a range of stakeholders including pan-London transport user groups, local businesses, environmental groups, politicians and adjacent boroughs. In addition to the consultation, TfL ran sample polling in locations in Beckton, Gallions Reach, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood where 85 per cent supported or strongly supported the proposals.
DLR extension: from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead
The proposed DLR extension from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside would connect two Opportunity Areas, key locations with potential for new homes, jobs and infrastructure, and four development sites. This is one of a number of exciting opportunities to unlock the economic growth and housing developments the new Government is prioritising.
A new DLR station would be built at Beckton Riverside, with a tunnel built under the River Thames linked to another new DLR station at Thamesmead. It would build on experience from 2009 when the DLR was extended to Woolwich Arsenal, tunnelling beneath the River Thames, with housing growth following in areas including Woolwich, Canning Town, and the Royal Docks.
London’s annual net contribution to the national economy is at a record GBP 43.4 billion. Investment in this scheme would support a UK-wide supply chain, supporting growth and job creation across the country. National Housing Federation analysis shows each new housing unit created at least one new job, so through this project we would create least as many jobs as housing units.
The DLR extension would also directly support the creation of up to 10,000 jobs, benefitting London and the national economy, and it would provide quicker journeys to other parts of east London like Stratford and the Isle of Dogs, with direct connections to central London via the Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, transforming housing, employment and leisure opportunities for the people who live in the area.
“It is great to see support to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside, which presents a crucial opportunity to boost connectivity by linking two major growth areas with two new accessible stations.
We will now progress work on plans for the cross-river extension of the DLR, which could see customers benefit from the early 2030s, and continue to discuss funding options with all parties,” said Alex Williams, TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer.
TfL has been working together with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Borough of Newham and the Greater London Authority (GLA), as well as landowners Peabody, Lendlease, abrdn, St William (Berkeley Homes) and Homes England to support the delivery of new homes, improved town centres and better access to jobs within and from Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. This will only be possible by improving public transport connections. The partnership is also working closely with Government, demonstrating the importance of the project to the local and wider area.
TfL and its partners submitted a Strategic Outline Case (SOC) to Government in 2023 outlining how an extension of the DLR could have a transformative effect on the area. An interim Outline Business Case (OBC) will now be developed with this work anticipated to be completed in spring 2025. The OBC will respond to Government feedback to the SOC and form the basis of future development and funding discussions.
The scheme is currently unfunded so part of this work includes developing a funding and financing strategy for the project, which would likely draw on funding from the private and public sectors, including TfL, local, regional and national sources. The aim is to agree an affordable solution by 2025, to enable construction to begin as early as 2028 and opening the DLR extension to customers in the early 2030s.
TfL also continues to discuss with Government its wider capital funding requirements and the link between transport investment, productivity and economic growth.
With significant growth pressures on London and the South East, transport and housing infrastructure must keep pace with demand. Forecasts suggest that London’s population will have grown significantly by 2041, and that there will be at least an additional 800,000 jobs in the capital which will create the need for more housing.
Providing new public transport options like the DLR extension would support low-carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, unlocking the delivery of 25,000-30,000 new homes along the extended route. It will also improve connectivity across the river and provide alternatives to private car use to lower future emissions and resulting pollution levels.
Investment in this scheme would support a UK-wide supply chain, supporting growth and job creation across the country. The DLR extension would also directly support the creation of up to 10,000 jobs, benefitting London and the national economy, and it would provide quicker journeys to other parts of east London like Stratford and the Isle of Dogs, with direct connections to central London via the Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, transforming housing, employment and leisure opportunities for the people who live in the area.
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