Transport for London (TfL) has announced plans [5 February] to begin the consultation process to extend the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.
The consultation period will last from 5 February to 18 March, the TfL planning to use public feedback to inform the designs and next steps of the construction process towards an Outline Business Case.
TfL is also introducing 54 new trains, with 33 replacing the oldest trains in the current DLR fleet and the remainder used to boost capacity and meet growing demand across the DLR network.
All new DLR trains will be introduced from 2024, with the whole fleet in place by 2026.
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The proposed DLR extension from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside would connect two Opportunity Areas and four development sites.
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 TfL 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.
Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asar, said: “I am very pleased that TfL is launching a consultation on plans to extend the DLR to our community in Thamesmead.
“This would be a much-needed public transport improvement for the people of Thamesmead who need to be able to travel easily and cheaply for work, study or leisure.
It’s hoped that the extension would support low carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, potentially connecting 25,000-30,000 new homes along the extended route.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Although we have started a record-breaking 116,000 plus genuinely affordable homes and completed more homes of all types since any time since the 1930s, the demand for housing in London shows no sign of slowing down.
“I’m excited for TfL to launch this consultation - extending the DLR 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.”
Achievements and innovations in transport planning and public transport will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations officially open in March 2024. Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
