Council raises concerns over DLR extension costs

Greenwich Council has suggested it may not be able to afford its share of funding towards the proposed DLR extension to Thamesmead in south-east London.

The authority has been negotiating with the mayor of London in an attempt to bring down the bill, which will be shared with Newham Council and Transport for London (TfL).

Newham Council documents revealed last year the construction of the project could cost up to £1.7bn.

TfL has said up to 30,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs could be provided in Newham and Greenwich boroughs from the scheme and it "presents a crucial opportunity to boost connectivity by linking two major growth areas".

TfL launched a consultation in February and March on plans to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside.

However, at a transport and place scrutiny meeting on 25 July, Greenwich Council's cabinet member for transport, Averil Lekau, suggested council finances could hinder the planned extension.

Ms Lekau told the meeting: “We are, I would have to say, being asked to front a considerable amount of money [alongside] Newham and both authorities are concerned that we would just not be able to do that, so we’re still negotiating with the mayor and the government to see how that goes.”

She added that a business case for the extension had been put forward to central government and discussions were ongoing.

A Newham Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the authority and its partners were still at an early stage of the extension project’s development.

They said a lot of design work was still needed alongside identifying funding sources for the scheme’s construction.

The spokesperson added: "We welcome future discussions with central government on this, which is in addition to ongoing discussions with TfL and our borough and private-sector partners.

"We have not been formally asked to commit funding at present.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hinted in May that Belvedere could also benefit from an additional extension of the DLR in the future.

A spokesperson later confirmed that the Thamesmead project would be designed in such a way to allow the opportunity for further extensions.

Alex Williams, TfL's chief customer and strategy officer, said: “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.”

A spokesperson for the mayor said it would "unlock huge opportunities for London, support tens of thousands of new homes, deliver new transport connections and boost the economy".

They added: “The mayor and TfL are working with councils, development partners and the government to secure the funding needed for this vital project, which will help build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”

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