The proposed Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from Beckton Riverside to Thamesmead extension will have its business case developed following a successful public consultation, Transport for London (TfL) has said.
TfL has published the consultation report on plans for a cross-river extension of the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside where the majority of respondents have been supportive of the proposals.
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.
Of those, 58% of respondents said the extension would make their journeys quicker around their local area and 75% said it would make journeys into wider east and southeast London easier.
As part of the proposals, 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. Itwould 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
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.
While the majority of respondents were supportive of the plans of the extensions to Thamesmead, many called on TfL to go further and extend beyond Thamesmead to Bexley, Belvedere or Abbey Wood, or beyond into Kent and Essex. Some respondents felt alternative transport options should be explored, such as an extension of the London Overground from Barking Riverside or the Elizabeth line from Abbey Wood or Woolwich.
These options were fully considered before selecting the proposed route, with the DLR as the preferred one to take forward. Alternative options considered do not offer the same value for money or improvements to capacity and efficiency that is needed to unlock new development in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. The focus at this time remains on delivering a DLR extension to Thamesmead but opportunities to allow further extensions to be in delivered in the future will be investigated as the design is developed further, TfL said.
Removal of the safeguarding for theThames Gateway Bridge will also be explored with government in favour of the DLR extension.
TfL explored a number of other transport options including increasing the number and frequency of bus services in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, without a new rail service. Although this would improve links to local town centres and the rail network, this option alone would not provide the level of connectivity or capacity needed to enable the 25,000 - 30,000 planned new homes in the area.
Some respondents suggested Thamesmead should be served by trams but improved bus transit is the preferred option to compliment the DLR extension as this could be delivered in advance as housing is developed in the area.
Funding was announced by government in the 2023 Autumn Statement to support housing development, improved town centres and better access to jobs (subject to approval of a business case), by delivering a bus transit scheme using dedicated infrastructure from Woolwich to Abbey Wood via Thamesmead. The potential new infrastructure would support not just the bus transit route, but many other bus routes in the area.
TfL chief customer and strategy officer Alex Williams said:“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.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said:“I’m pleased to see public support for these plans to extend the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, which will unlock huge opportunities for London, support tens of thousands of new homes, deliver new transport connections, and boost the economy, supporting the creation of thousands of jobs.
“Enabling the infrastructure needed for the capital’s growth is key to building a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiazsaid:" I am delighted to see such strong community support for the proposed new DLR extension.
“The project has the potential to unlock a whole new development in the south of the borough, which would allow us to press ahead with plans to build more affordable homes, improve community spaces, as well as opening up the riverfront to all our residents.
“We will continue to apply our co-production model to ensure residents' voices are listened to and heard in all the important decisions we make to shape the future of the borough. So I welcome this vote of confidence in the extension plans and look forward to working with Newham residents and project partners as we take the next steps to make these plans a reality."
Royal Borough of Greenwich leader Anthony Okerekesaid:"It is incredibly encouraging to see the support for extending the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. This is a clear mandate from the community that improved connectivity is essential to unlocking the full potential of the area.
“From new jobs to thousands of new homes, extending the DLR will not only transform Thamesmead, it will also make our whole area of London easier and more convenient for people to and from. We are excited to move forward with this project and build the case to deliver the positive change residents deserve.
“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.”
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