A public consultation has revealed there is strong public backing for proposals to extend the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from Gallions Reach to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

Out of 1,444 responses,76% supported the proposed route, 66% backed a station being built at Beckton Riverside, and 77% supported a station in Thamesmead town centre.

Further suggestions included extending the line beyond Thamesmead to Abbey Wood or Bexley. The proposal received government support in the autumn budget.

By extending to Thamesmead, two Opportunity Areas would be unlocked, along with making major development sites available. These could deliver 25,000 to 30,000 new homes, create 10,000 jobs, and attract nearly £18 billion in private investment.

A new station at Beckton Riverside would connect via a tunnel under the River Thames with a new station at Thamesmead, similar to when an extension to Woolwich Arsenal in 2009 delivered significant housing growth in Woolwich, Canning Town, and the Royal Docks.

Another public consultation will be held on the proposals next year, before submitting a Transport and Works Act Order application to the Secretary of State for Transport by the end of 2026.

Homes England is to provide a £23 million government grant to fund a new bus transit system in Thamesmead.

To avoid congestion, segregated bus lanes will be installed, and this will transform connectivity in the area by linking Woolwich town centre and Abbey Wood via Thamesmead. A public consultation on the scheme is already in progress, and the service should start in 2026.

“The green light for TfL and the Greater London Authority to go full steam ahead with this project is yet another massive endorsement of Thamesmead’s potential from the Chancellor. This is something our residents have been crying out for, and it’s exciting to think that the potential of the area as a sustainable new town – and a catalyst for growth in London – can finally be realised. “As the only London postcode without a train station, we owe it to Thamesmead to deliver this extension to the DLR. London’s future, 15,000 new homes to tackle the housing crisis, a vital boost to the economy, improving people’s lives and prospects?– it all starts with Thamesmead.”

Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich