Transport for London (TfL) has received positive results from its consultation report on plans for a cross-river extension of the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside.
The majority of respondents in this report were supportive of plans to extend the DLR. Specifically, 58 percent said the extension would make their journeys quicker around their local area and 75 percent said it would make journeys into wider east and southeast London easier.
Now, TfL will progress work to develop a business case for the project.
The DLR extension would support low-carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, supporting 25,000 – 30,000 new homes along the route.
As part of the plans, new DLR stations would be built at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. A tunnel would be constructed under the River Thames to connect these new stations.
This project would build on experience from 2009 when the DLR was extended to Woolwich Arsenal, also tunnelling beneath the River Thames. A housing growth then followed in Woolwich, Canning Town, and the Royal Docks.
“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.”
To evaluate this proposal, TfL launched a consultation earlier this year. It received 1,254 responses from members of the public and 29 from stakeholders, including transport user groups, local businesses, environmental groups, politicians and adjacent boroughs.
In addition, TfL ran sample polling in Beckton, Gallions Reach, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood where 85 percent supported or strongly supported the proposals.
“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.”
TfL and its partners submitted a Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for this project to the government in 2023. The SOC outlined how an extension of the DLR could have a transformative effect on the area.
An interim Outline Business Case (OBC) will now be developed, which will respond to government feedback from the SOC. This work is anticipated to be completed in spring 2025 and will form the basis of future development and funding discussions.
The scheme is currently unfunded, so the work will include developing a funding and financing strategy for the project. TfL aims to agree on an affordable solution by 2025 to enable construction to begin in 2028.
The DLR extension would then open to customers in the early 2030s.
