Public consultation shows strong local support to extend DLR in East London

Transport for London’s (TfL) public consultation on plans to extend the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead show the majority of respondents are supportive. Work will now progress on developing the business case.

Extending the DLR, says TfL, would support low-carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside, unlocking the delivery of up to 30,000 new homes along the extended route

Investment in this scheme would also support a UK-wide supply chain, supporting growth and job creation across the country.

According to the newly published consultation report on a cross-river extension of the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside, 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.

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. In addition to the consultation, TfL ran sample polling in locations in Beckton, Gallions Reach, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood where 85% supported or strongly supported 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. It would 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.

The DLR extension would also directly support the creation of up to 10,000 jobs, benefitting London and the national economy, and it would provide quicker journeys to other parts of east London like Stratford and the Isle of Dogs, with direct connections to central London via the Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, transforming housing, employment and leisure opportunities for the people who live in the area.

Alex Williams, TfL's Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, 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. 

"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."

TfL has been working together with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Borough of Newham and the Greater London Authority (GLA), as well as landowners Peabody, Lendlease, abrdn, St William (Berkeley Homes) and Homes England to support the delivery of new homes, improved town centres and better access to jobs within and from Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. This will only be possible by improving public transport connections. The partnership is also working closely with Government, demonstrating the importance of the project to the local and wider area.

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 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.

Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, said, "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."

Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said, "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. 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."