Plans to lengthen London’s much-loved Docklands Light Railway have been in the pipeline since the start of the 2020s. And for the past six years, the prospect is an item that’s remained firmly at the top of south-east London’s wish-list. So, for those of you that are also on the edge of your moquette-covered seats in anticipation of the long-awaited DLR extension to finally come into fruition, I come bearing some rail-y great news.
Another mighty chug has been taken in the direction of the DLR being extended from Gallions Reach (where the Beckton branch currently ends) to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, following a successful public consultation. 553 people and organisations put their two cents in on the plans, and Transport for London has now gathered all of the responses and collated them into a handy consultation report.
The prospective plans involve creating two shiny new stations on the line as well as building a new tunnel under the River Thames. The latest consultation ran from June 6 until July 15, and focused primarily on the design details of the new stations. The consultation saw broadly positive feedback regarding the plans and the impact that the extension would have on the area’s transport links (which have – until now – been notoriously deficient).
Many respondents emphasised the importance of accessibility, safe travel routes, and good bus connections along the extension. And plenty of people seemed keen on the idea of potential future extenstions. Whilst a great deal of the feedback was positive, there were some concerns raised regarding traffic, noise pollution, and the effects the work could have on the environment.
As TfL didn’t feel that any of the issues raised during the consultation warranted a significant change to the plans, the next steps involve submitting a Transport and Works Act Order application in 2027. If all goes smoothly, work could begin in 2029, and the extended routes could be up an running in the early 2030s.
You can peruse the full findings from Transport for London’s recent public consultation here.
