Rachel Reeves is set to give the green light to a proposal to extend the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead in a major expansion of London’s transport network.
The move, which would mark the first extension to a London train line since the Overground extension to Barking Riverside in July 2022, promises to create 10,000 jobs and unlock the development of as many as 30,000 much-needed new homes.
The development is among the top infrastructure priorities for which London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London have been seeking government funding. Other plans in need of funding include a southern extension to the Bakerloo line and the creation of a North-South Crossrail Two project.
‘Vote of confidence’ in London
Khan said: “I’m really pleased that the Government is backing the DLR extension to Thamesmead – something I’ve long called for alongside London’s businesses and communities.
“The project is a win-win and a massive vote of confidence in London. It will not only transform travel in a historically underserved part of the capital, but also unlock thousands of new jobs and homes, boosting the economy not just locally but nationally.”
The Thamesmead proposal would see a branch line created on the DLR Beckton line via a spur at Gallions Reach, with a new station called Beckton Riverside before a tunnel under the Thames takes trains to a new station at Thamesmead.
TfL first consulted on the proposed extension in early 2024, receiving more than 1,000 responses of which the majority were positive.
An extended DLR could result in journeys from Thamesmead to Stratford being reduced to 25 to 30 minutes, journeys to Canary Wharf taking 20 to 25 minutes and journeys to Liverpool Street taking 35 to 40 minutes, according to TfL estimates.