Transport for London (TfL) has committed to continue developing proposed rail schemes including Crossrail 2, the West London Orbital (WLO) and extensions of the Bakerloo line and Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
In its draft Business Plan for 2023, TfL says that it will “continue feasibility work” on all of the schemes.
However, it adds that “any network extensions depend on securing additional funding as the significant capital requirement is not affordable from our operating revenue alone”.
TfL began winding down activity on the Crossrail 2 scheme at the end of 2020 as part of conditions attached to its £1.8bn emergency funding package from government.
A freedom of information request by NCE revealed that at that time more than £115M had been spent developing proposals from Crossrail 2 during the six years before the project was mothballed in November 2020.
The money was spent on developing the route to connect south west London with north London.
Land for Crossrail 2 has been safeguarded as part of measures implemented by the Department for Transport (DfT).
Likewise, land for the Bakerloo Line Extension has been safeguarded so the project can be restarted when funding becomes available.
The project involves building two new stations between Elephant & Castle and Lewisham. They are likely to be named Burgess Park and Old Kent Road based on views from a consultation exercise.
As previously revealed by NCE, TfL is open to alternative funding models for the scheme including imposing a landowner levy which would property owners along the route contributing to the cost.
As previously reported, TfL has been working with Homes England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on a feasibility study for extending the DLR south eastwards from its current terminal at Beckton to a new station at Thamesmead. This would include a new station at Beckton Riverside before crossing the Thames to terminate at Thamesmead. It is believed to have the potential to “unlock” 20,000 to 30,000 homes in East London.
In September 2020, TfL said it expected the extension to cost “around £800M” and that it would be completed between 2026 and 2030.
On the other side of the city, the WLO would see the London Overground extended westwards from West Hempstead and out towards Hounslow using existing “underused” railways. It would stop at Old Oak Common Lane station, which will be linked with the under construction HS2 Old Oak Common station, and a few other new stations on the way. It is promoted as having the potential to support 15,800 new homes.
In total, TfL’s draft business plan commits £8.1bn to be invested in London’s road and rail networks.
The plan will be considered by the TfL Board on 7 December.
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