Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead

The Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead is a proposed Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to serve the Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead redevelopment areas of East London.

Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead
Overview
Status	Proposed
Locale	London Borough of Newham Royal Borough of Greenwich
Termini	Gallions Reach Thamesmead
Stations	2
Service
Type	Light metro
System	Docklands Light Railway
History
Planned opening	2030s
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

v t e Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead (proposed)
Legend
Gallions Reach Beckton depot Beckton Beckton Riverside^[1]^[2]^[3] River Thames Thamesmead^[1]^[2]^[3]

Mooted in the late 2010s, the extension was first formally proposed by Transport for London (TfL) in 2019, with proposed stations at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. Public consultation on the project began in 2023. Estimated to cost around £1bn, the extension could open in the "early 2030s".^[4]

Project development

Background

Thamesmead, built on former marshland on the south bank of the River Thames in East London, was developed by the Greater London Council from the 1960s onwards to meet the demand from Londoners for social housing.^[5] As part of the initial development of the area in the 1970s, the area was intended to be served by the (then) Fleet line and an infill railway station at Church Manor Way. However, plans for the railway station never came to fruition, and the Jubilee line was only extended to Stratford in 1999, with passive provision at North Greenwich for a second branch which would have a route to Thamesmead via the former North London line to North Woolwich, which itself is now used by Crossrail.^[6] As a result of these developments, Thamesmead remains not directly served by railway services of any kind, with the closest stations being Plumstead, Abbey Wood and Belvedere. Furthermore, the area is in the centre of a 22 kilometres (14 mi) gap in major road crossings of the River Thames – with planned road crossings at nearby Gallions Reach and Belvedere never built.^[7]

Limited passive provision is present in the Docklands Light Railway extension to Woolwich Arsenal for a junction to Thamesmead as of 2005,^[8] however following the cancellation of the Docklands Light Railway extension to Dagenham Dock and the Thames Gateway Bridge in 2008, TfL considered other ways to assist with the development of the Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead areas throughout the 2010s.^[9][10] Options proposed included:

• new downstream river crossings such as the Silvertown Tunnel, Gallions Reach Crossing and Belvedere Crossing^[11]
• an extension of Crossrail east of Abbey Wood^[12]
• dedicated high frequency bus services^[12] - similar to the Greenwich Waterfront Transit proposal cancelled in 2009^[13]
• an extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking line south from Barking Riverside^[14][15]
• an extension of the DLR east from Beckton.^[16][17]

Following the approval of the Silvertown Tunnel in 2018,^[18] local campaigners pushed for public transport improvements in the area.^[19] In March 2018, the Mayor's Transport Strategy proposed an extension of the DLR towards Thamesmead and Barking town centre.^[20]

Plans for development in Thamesmead continued, with Peabody and Lendlease announcing an £8bn regeneration project in 2019 with over 11,500 new homes to be built.^[21] Developers on the south side of the river also pushed for development, with Aberdeen Standard Investments proposing the redevelopment of Gallions Reach Shopping Park.^[22]

Formal proposal

In December 2019, a DLR extension to Thamesmead was formally proposed by TfL as part of the draft Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF,^[23][24][25] with proposed stations at Armada Riverside in Beckton and Thamesmead.^[26][27] An extension of the DLR was proposed instead of an extension of the Overground from Barking Riverside,^[25] as an Overground extension would have lower connectivity benefits, cost more to operate, have a low frequency of trains (4 per hour) and a construction cost twice as much as a DLR extension as the gradients required to cross the River Thames would require large scale tunnelling works when compared to the DLR.^[26][28]

In September 2020, the extension was included in the long term funding submission by TfL to HM Government. The document noted that the extension would cost around £800m, with completion between 2026 and 2030.^[29] Following adoption of the OAPF in late 2020, further feasibility and technical work began, funded wholly by landowners and local boroughs.^[30][28] In 2022, the extension was included in the draft London Borough of Newham Local Plan, which proposed "a new city district" at Beckton Riverside, connected by the extension.^[31]

In June 2023, the Strategic Outline Business Case for the extension was submitted to HM Government.^[32][33] It noted that a DLR extension to Thamesmead could allow between 25,000 and 30,000 homes to be constructed. Three options would be considered in the next stage:

• Bus rapid transit between Woolwich and Abbey Wood, around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) in length
• DLR extension to a new station at Beckton Riverside, around 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in length
• DLR extension with stations at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, a tunnel underneath the River Thames, around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length

The business case noted that a DLR extension to Thamesmead could cost between £700 million to £1.2 billion, and could be completed in the 2030s. The next step would be seeking government funding to develop the scheme further, with a full business case submitted in 2025.^[32][34] In February 2024, TfL began public consultation on the project, proposing an extension of the DLR to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside, as outlined in the business case.^[35][36]

Route and stations

As of February 2024^[update],^[35] the proposed route of DLR extension diverges from the Beckton branch just after Gallions Reach, turning east to pass by Beckton DLR depot before Beckton Riverside station in Beckton. The route then continues southeast, crossing under the river before arriving at Thamesmead station.^[35][12] The 2024 consultation noted that the line could be extended in the future to Belvedere or elsewhere in Bexley in the future.^[37]

Station locale	London borough
Beckton Riverside^[12]	Newham
Thamesmead^[12]	Greenwich

References

1. "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity Area". London.gov.uk. Greater London Authority. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
2. "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF - OAPF Transport Strategy" (PDF). London.gov.uk. Greater London Authority. December 2020. p. 25-26. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
3. "TfL Press Release - TfL and its partners commence further feasibility work on extending DLR into Thamesmead to support new homes and growth". tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com. Transport for London. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
4. "FAQs | Extending the Docklands Light Railway to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead | Have Your Say Transport for London". haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2024. the extension could be open in the early 2030s ... We think it could cost around £1bn (2022 prices)
5. "Thamesmead local history" (PDF). London Borough of Bexley. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
6. Horne, Mike (2000). The Jubilee Line. Capital Transport. pp. 50–52. ISBN 978-1-85414-220-7.
7. BBC (8 October 2008). "Inside Out London – Thamesmead". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
8. "DLR 2020 Horizon Study" (PDF). What Do They Know. 23 September 2009. (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2011.
9. "DLR extension to provide 11,500-home Thamesmead boost". Inside Housing. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
10. Mayor of London (10 October 2016). "East London Crossings (8)". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
11. "Have your say on new river crossings in east and southeast London – Transport for London – Citizen Space". consultations.tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
12. "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF – OAPF Transport Strategy" (PDF). London.gov.uk. Greater London Authority. December 2020. pp. 25–26. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
13. "Greenwich Waterfront Transit: the history, cancellation and rebirth". From the Murky Depths. 26 February 2019. from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
14. "Call to bring London Overground to Thamesmead – south east London's largest town with no trains". This is London Local. 22 September 2014.
15. Dudman, Jane (1 August 2014). "Boris Johnson's London orbital railway – is it a good idea?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
16. Mayor of London (2 June 2014). "DLR Extension to Thamesmead and Bexley Riverside". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
17. "Mayor commits to building greener, public transport-focused crossings". London City Hall. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
18. "Improvements and Projects – Silvertown Tunnel". Transport for London. from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
19. Lydall, Ross (25 November 2019). "£1bn Silvertown tunnel contract is finally signed". Evening Standard. from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
20. Mayor of London (March 2018). "Mayor's Transport Strategy" (PDF). Greater London Authority. p. 259. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
21. "Peabody picks Lendlease for £8bn Thamesmead regeneration". Inside Housing. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
22. "GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY – DECEMBER 2017 DRAFT LONDON PLAN REPRESENTATIONS ON BEHALF OF STANDARD LIFE INVESTMENTS GALLIONS REACH SHOPPING PARK, ARMADA WAY, LONDON, E6 7ER" (PDF). Greater London Authority. 2 March 2018. (PDF) from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
23. Leeming, Lachlan. . Bexley Times. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
24. Chamberlain, Darryl (15 February 2019). "TfL lifts lid on possible Thamesmead DLR extension". 853. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
25. "Workshops about the future of Thamesmead and Abbey Wood opened to public". News Shopper. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
26. "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF – OAPF Transport Strategy – December 2019 Draft" (PDF). Greater London Authority. December 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
27. "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity Area". London.gov.uk. Greater London Authority. 21 December 2020. from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
28. "TfL and partners commence feasibility work on extending DLR into Thamesmead". Transport for London. 21 December 2020. from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
29. "TfL's Spending Review Prospectus – September 2020" (PDF). Transport for London. 30 September 2020. pp. 9–45. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
30. "TfL Press Release – TfL and its partners commence further feasibility work on extending DLR into Thamesmead to support new homes and growth". tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com. Transport for London. from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
31. "London Borough of Newham - Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) for Consultation". London Borough of Newham. December 2022. a new Town Centre, connected by a DLR extension, at Beckton Riverside/Gallions Reach. Here, a new city district will provide homes, community facilities, modern industrial jobs and access to nature and the Thames.
32. Transport for London (May 2023). "Thamesmead & Beckton Riverside Public Transport Programme – Strategic Outline Case" (PDF). London Borough of Newham. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
33. "TfL and partners progress public transport proposals to unlock Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside". Transport for London. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
34. Vickers, Noah (16 June 2023). "Plans for DLR extension to Thamesmead take vital step forward". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
35. "Extending the Docklands Light Railway to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead | Have Your Say Transport for London". haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
36. Vickers, Noah (5 February 2024). "Londoners to have their say on plans for cross-river DLR extension". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
37. "FAQs | Extending the Docklands Light Railway to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead | Have Your Say Transport for London". haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2024. We have considered several options for an extension of the DLR, including potential onward extensions from Thamesmead to locations in Bexley, such as Belvedere.