Plans for new transport links to an 11,000 home development in east London have been put to consultation by Transport for London (TfL).
Two new options are being considered for extending London Overground services to Barking Riverside in a bid to connect one of the capital’s largest residential construction sites.
Both options would see trains serving a new station at the heart of the development, linking to new and existing housing while supporting the creation of a new district centre. The extension is expected to enable delivery of 10,800 new homes at the site.
London mayor, Boris Johnson, said: ‘Barking Riverside is the largest housing development in east London, but without extending London Overground services it cannot reach its full potential. London Overground continues to be one of the UK’s most punctual and popular railways and promises to breathe life into this new community for London.’
The Government has agreed to provide a loan of £55m to support the extension to Barking Riverside meaning funding is in place to cover the project’s full cost.
TfL’s first option would see a pair of separate viaducts supporting an east and westbound line, a plan that would require fewer changes to the rail freight infrastructure and could result in cost savings.
The second alignment plan would run both lines in parallel along a single viaduct, potentially increasing the distance between existing housing areas and the railway.
If approved by the secretary of state, construction on the project could begin in early 2017 with trains running by the end of 2020.
TfL’s managing director of planning, Richard de Cani, added: ‘We have seen overwhelming public support, with 90% of responses supporting our proposals for London Overground to be extended to serve Barking Riverside. This next consultation phase will bring us closer to creating this important new piece of London’s transport network, which will unlock the potential for almost 11,000 new homes to be delivered on this site.’
