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Have you ever been to Thamesmead? Unless you live there, probably not, because it’s one of London’s worst-connected areas. That’s why TfL has been talking about extending the DLR there for donkeys. Now, plans first floated in the 2010s could finally come to fruition, as TfL has launched a consultation to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead.
As it stands, Thamesmead has no tube, railway or DLR links to the rest of London, meaning inhabitants have to rely solely on buses. A new DLR line would include building a new station at Beckton Riverside, north of the river. The route would then cross the Thames via a new tunnel to reach Thamesmead.
The plans for the line extension have been backed by Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare.
‘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,’ Khan said.
Oppong-Asare said: ‘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.
‘I’ve long campaigned for these ambitious plans to put Thamesmead on the transport map and I’m pleased to have had the support of local authorities, TfL, local businesses, community groups, and most importantly the people who live here.’
TfL still needs to secure funding for this project, which could be agreed in a partnership of private and public sector bodies, but the transport authority hopes to agree to a solution by 2025 for construction to begin in 2028. If everything goes smoothly, the new DLR line could open in the early 2030s.
Does the potential DLR extension affect you? To have your say, the consultation is open from February 5 to March 18 online here.
Did you see that the Piccadilly Line will partly close next week?
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