The government is poised to give its official backing to a major extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Thamesmead, with an announcement expected in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Budget Boost for London's Transport
Treasury sources have indicated that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, will use her Budget speech on Wednesday, November 26 to enable Transport for London (TfL) to secure the necessary loans to fund the project. This move is seen as a critical step in getting the long-awaited expansion off the ground.
The proposed extension would see the DLR reach Thamesmead, an area the government has earmarked for significant redevelopment, including the construction of 15,000 new homes. For decades, since its tower blocks first appeared in the 1960s, Thamesmead has been notably underserved by public transport infrastructure.
Transforming Travel in East London
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has hailed the anticipated approval as a "massive win for our city." He emphasised that the DLR extension, which will also feature a new station at Beckton Riverside, will act as a catalyst for growth in a "historically underserved part of our capital."
Speaking at a Greater London Assembly meeting on Thursday, November 20, Mayor Khan stated, "This is a massive win for our city, one that I along with London's businesses, communities and others have lobbied incredibly hard for. The DLR Line extension is critical, not just to stimulate job creation and growth in our capital, but across the country."
He confidently projected that the new Thamesmead station will be open by 2032.
Major Time Savings and Further Investment
The impact on journey times will be substantial. The expansion is projected to halve the travel time to Stratford to just 20 minutes, while also putting the key business district of Canary Wharf within a 25-minute reach.
The additional new stop at Beckton Riverside will serve another part of London already undergoing major investment in housing and infrastructure, further amplifying the regeneration benefits of the transport link. This builds upon the area's existing connectivity, which was improved in 2022 with the introduction of Elizabeth line services at Abbey Wood.
However, the announcement has not been met with universal acclaim. Neil Garratt, the GLA Tory leader, expressed scepticism, suggesting the Mayor was "making a big thing" of a pre-Budget leak. He pointed to the lack of a specific funding figure and raised concerns that the news was distracting from reports that Londoners might face a council tax increase to fund projects in the North of England.
Despite the political debate, the expected government backing marks a pivotal moment for a project set to reshape the transport landscape of east London for generations to come.
