Stratford: Business case submitted to improve 'confusing' railway station

A proposal to redevelop Stratford station, to cater for a predicted 60% increase in passenger numbers by 2041, has been submitted to the government.

A coalition of public and private-sector bodies, including Newham Council and Network Rail, put together the business case.

The number of passengers using the station has grown by tens of millions.

Rokhsana Fiaz, the mayor of Newham, said the current station layout was "confusing" and "constrained".

"We need a modern, thriving transport hub so that Stratford continues to support the growth of east London and deliver more homes and jobs," she said.

The station was the fifth busiest in the UK in 2022, the coalition said.

The group said the station saw numbers grow from 40 million "passenger movements" in 2006 to 128 million in 2019.

This figure refers to the number of people who use the station, including those who only change train or Tube lines.

The coalition includes London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), a body set up to maintain improvements to east London in the wake of the 2012 Olympics.

The business case primarily outlines why the station redevelopment will be needed, but no firm plans have been made on what the upgrades would entail or their cost.

It is understood the group is working on three plans for the upgrades, ranging from modest changes to a major redevelopment of the station. These will be presented in later stages of the process.

The prediction for a 60% increase in passenger numbers by 2041 is based on research from Transport for London, Network Rail and the LLDC, a spokesperson said.

It examined the past and expected growth in housing and business premises in the area, as well as visitor numbers to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park venues and the Westfield shopping centre.

The business case states that the enhanced station could deliver up to 10,000 new jobs and create 2,000 new homes.

Lyn Garner, chief executive of the (LLDC), said: "Stratford is home to the most successful post-Olympic regeneration with thousands of new homes and jobs.

"A station fit for purpose is vital to drive the success of projects already in the pipeline."

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said it was continuing to engage with the LLDC and partner organisations on the business case for the long-term upgrades to the station.

The DfT added it had engaged in other upgrades at Stratford Station, including a £5.3m investment in works to relocate a lift and a control room within Stratford station to increase capacity.

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