Extending the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead

The purpose of this page is to give more information about preferred option for station locations and station design at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

We looked at a number of options for each new station, and have provided more information about our option selection process here.

Beckton Riverside

We are proposing a new station at Beckton Riverside on a currently vacant site to the south of Armada Way, opposite Gallions Reach Shopping Park. The new station would form part of a redeveloped town centre and wider neighbourhood, with residential developments, employment, retail, and community facilities.

Potential new development and DLR station in Beckton Riverside

We are proposing this site as it would put the station at the heart of the planned new town centre, supporting placemaking at Beckton Riverside, as well as maximising access to DLR services for future residents.

Beckton Riverside area with proposed new DLR station

The station would be at ground-level and would be fully accessible, with step-free access provided between street and train. Station lighting, CCTV, help points, customer information systems and secure cycle parking would also be provided. The station design would include a canopy extending along the platform to provide shelter.

There would be a covered footbridge between the platforms accessed by stairs and lifts. One of the station entrances would connect to Armada Way, creating an opportunity for a new interchange between DLR and local transport options, including bus routes 262, 366 and N551, and new walking and cycling links.

The proposed footbridge would also act as a publicly accessible connection across the railway to the new neighbourhoods either side of the station. To the west of the proposed development area, the railway would run on a viaduct allowing pedestrian, cycle, and vehicle movements underneath. It would then drop down towards a ground level station on a ramp, meaning that movement underneath the rail line would be restricted for approximately 300 metres as the line approaches to the station.

Artists impression of new DLR station in Beckton Riverside

We have assessed alternative locations across the development area for the proposed station, however these would not support the planned new town centre. We have also explored alternative elevated and sub-surface station options. These would be more expensive to deliver than the proposed ground-level station, and an elevated option would extend the length of railway viaduct through Beckton Riverside and would also make a cross-river connection to Thamesmead more challenging to build. More information about these discounted options are in our options analysis technical report.

We will continue to work closely with the London Borough of Newham, landowners, and developers to understand their proposals for the redevelopment of the areas surrounding the station, with further detail to be shared in future consultations.

Thamesmead station

We are proposing a new station at Thamesmead on the site currently occupied by Cannon Retail Park. This is currently accessed via Joyce Dawson Way from Central Way and is the site of several retail units and associated car parking.

Potential new development and DLR station in Thamesmead

Cannon Retail Park and the proposed station are located at Thamesmead Waterfront, a 100-hectare site owned by Peabody which offers the potential to deliver thousands of new homes and jobs, alongside a new and expanded town centre.

Click on image for larger version

The station at Thamesmead would be elevated on a viaduct, with stairs and lifts provided at each end of the platform. The station would be fully accessible, with step-free access provided between street and train. Station lighting, CCTV, help points, customer information systems and secure cycle parking would also be provided. The station design would include a canopy extending along the platform to provide shelter.

There would be a station entrance adjacent to Central Way, an important bus corridor in Thamesmead, creating an opportunity for a new interchange between DLR and local bus services, including the possible new SL11 Superloop service - subject to the outcome of public consultation. The station would also be designed so that it could support any further extension (for example towards Bexley) in the future, subject to funding and justification of benefits.

Artists impression of new DLR station in Thamesmead

This site is our preferred option for a new station in Thamesmead as it would best serve existing residents of Thamesmead, as well as the planned development of Thamesmead Waterfront. A station in this location would also support the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s ambitions for a revitalised town centre in Thamesmead.

In order to provide a station in this location, the track would need to pass over the Twin Tumps and Thamesmere Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) on a viaduct. The potential impacts on the SINC have been considered in assessing all potential station options, and this proposal will be subject to further Environmental Impact Assessment in the next stage of design, with appropriate mitigations identified.

Due to engineering constraints, it would not be feasible to extend the tunnel to pass under the Twin Tumps and serve an elevated station in Thamesmead town centre.

DLR on viaduct over Twin Tumps to Thamesmead DLR station

We have explored a range of alternative options for the proposed station. Ground-level and partially enclosed (or sub-surface) options would sever pedestrian connections in the heart of the new town centre that is planned for Thamesmead, whilst an underground station would be significantly more expensive to construct and operate than an elevated option. An underground station would also still need some above-ground structures, such as fire and ventilation shafts. The alternative options would make any future onward extension of the DLR beyond Thamesmead more challenging to build. We therefore believe an elevated station represents the most appropriate station option in Thamesmead. More information about these discounted options are in our options analysis technical report.

We will continue to work closely with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, landowners, and developers to understand their proposals for the redevelopment of the areas surrounding the station.

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This page explains in more detail our proposed route for the new extension of the DLR to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside, including how we think the new extension would link into the rest of the DLR network, and the route under the river to Thamesmead.

Joining up with the existing DLR network

We would need to link the new extension into the existing DLR network, and to Beckton DLR depot, where the majority of DLR trains start service.

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We would proposed to do this by providing an elevated track from Gallions Reach over the existing Beckton branch line and then continuing towards Beckton Riverside. We call this a ‘grade separated’ junction. This junction means that trains operating on the extension would not come into conflict with trains operating on the existing Beckton branch, or which are leaving and entering the depot, and so avoids potential delays. This layout would also provide a direct link between Beckton depot and the proposed extension to Thamesmead, ensuring trains serving the extension could start service without impacting services on the existing Beckton branch. This layout would also allow for a potential future extension of the DLR towards Barking, subject to funding and justification of benefits.

We explored an alternative ‘at grade’ junction layout, which would require trains operating to/from Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead to cross over the existing Beckton branch to access the extension. However, this would require trains stopping and waiting for a route to become available across the junction with the existing Beckton. This would impact the number of trains we could run on the network and could extend journey times and cause delays across the DLR network.

Route through Beckton Riverside

The proposed route alignment through the Beckton Riverside area is constrained. To the west (towards Beckton) there is Royal Docks Road (A1020) and Armada Way, the existing Beckton DLR branch and utilities infrastructure. This includes Beckton CHiP (Combined Heat and Intelligent Power) plant, a bioliquid fuelled power station, and a Cadent Gas Pressure Reduction Station. To the east (towards the River Thames) there is Armada Way, a flood attenuation pond, and river wall infrastructure. There is also a significant amount of below ground utilities and other buried obstructions which have influenced the development of options for this section of the route.

The proposed route alignment would initially remain elevated on a viaduct to pass through the Beckton Riverside area immediately to the south of Armada Way, passing over the edge of the Cadent Gas Pressure Reduction Station site and Hornet Way, to maintain vehicle access to the Beckton CHiP plant, Cadent Gas Pressure Reduction Station and Beckton Depot. The viaduct section of the railway would run for around 500 metres through Beckton Riverside, before descending to a proposed ground level station at Beckton Riverside. This would serve two major development sites in the area. To the north of the proposed station and Armada Way lies the existing Gallions Reach Shopping Park owned by Aberdeen Investments, with the remaining undeveloped part of the former Beckton Gas works, owned by St William to the south of the DLR alignment and proposed station at Beckton Riverside. Information about our preferred option for this station, and the alternatives we have assessed, can be found here.

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We have explored different options for how the proposed route alignment could travel across Beckton Riverside, for example moving it further to north or south of Armada Way to run through Gallions Reach Shopping Park or closer to the northern boundary of the Beckton DLR depot. We have also explored whether the proposed route alignment could run at ground level from the proposed new junction to Beckton Riverside station as an alternative to the proposed viaduct. Information about these alternatives can be found here.

Crossing the River Thames

After leaving Beckton Riverside station the track would descend into a tunnel approximately 1.5km long to cross under the river and continue towards Thamesmead. This would likely be constructed using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) as has been the case with previous schemes we have delivered such as the Elizabeth line and Silvertown tunnel.

The proposed route for the tunnel has been influenced by the need to avoid a significant number of pre-existing underground infrastructure, particularly relating to the former use of Beckton Riverside as Beckton Gas Works. On the south side of the river, the alignment of the tunnel through the Thamesmead Waterfront aims to avoid areas of ground identified as historic and active landfill, as well as Metropolitan Open Land.

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We considered using a technique which would involve laying tunnel infrastructure in a ditch in the river bed (similar to a cut and cover tunnel) however this type of river crossing has not been used in London before, would be more expensive and would likely have a greater impact on the marine environment. We also considered constructing a bridge, however the scale of structure required to maintain the operation of river traffic would involve using much larger areas of land, with negative impacts on the construction of new homes on both sides of the river.

We also considered alternative routes for the tunnel to cross the River Thames, with more information here.

Route into and through Thamesmead

There are also several constraints which influence the proposed route alignment through the Thamesmead Waterfront site including active and historic landfill sites, areas of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). The potential impacts on the SINC have been considered in assessing all potential station options, and this proposal will be subject to further Environmental Impact Assessment in the next stage of design, with appropriate mitigations identified.

Our preferred option for the new route in Thamesmead is for the line to emerge from the tunnel onto a viaduct to pass over the Twin Tumps and Thamesmere SINC and terminate at an elevated station in Thamesmead, serving the town centre at the current site of Cannon Retail Park on Central Way. This proposed route alignment would also support any potential further extension in the future, for example towards Bexley, subject to funding and justification of benefits. Due to engineering constraints, it would not be feasible to extend the tunnel to pass under the Twin Tumps and serve an elevated station in Thamesmead town centre.

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The Thamesmead Waterfront development area is owned by Peabody an affordable housing provider, who have partnered with Lendlease to develop the site, and we have worked extensively with both parties to identify the best alignment for the proposed extension through the development area and proposed station location, in response to the site constraints. This followed an assessment of alternative alignments across the Thamesmead Waterfront site.

Information about our preferred option for this station, and the alternatives we have assessed, can be found here.

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The purpose of this page is to give more information about the two options we are still considering for a turnback, needed to operate the proposed DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

Future frequency

Today, DLR services between Tower Gateway and Beckton run throughout the day. Additional services operate between Stratford International and Beckton at off-peak times and between Canning Town and Beckton at peak times. Once the extension opens, we expect to run trains:

• Every 8-10 minutes to/from Thamesmead (and Beckton Riverside)
• Every 8-10 minutes to/from Beckton

Together, these services would provide a train every 4-5 minutes between Canning Town and Gallions Reach.

Gallions Reach station

The regeneration of Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead are long-term projects, with the new housing likely to be built in phases. To deliver later phases, we believe that further services would be required to/from Thamesmead. To make this possible, we would need a place for trains to terminate, reverse and then re-enter service, as well as existing trains. A turnback should be set up so that trains waiting for their next journey do not impact other services, as this would reduce capacity on the lines and cause delays for customers.

We have reviewed a range of options across the network and are still considering two options ahead of reaching a preferred option: a new platform at Royal Victoria or a new turnback siding to the west of Canning Town station. Information on discounted options can be found here.

Royal Victoria Turnback Option

We would build a new platform at Royal Victoria, diverting the eastbound track towards Beckton from its current alignment to serve a new platform on the opposite side of the current eastbound platform.

Royal Victoria possible turnback site

The current platform would become the new platform for terminating westbound services, with trains remaining in the platform until they are timetabled to depart eastbound. Current station entrances from Victoria Dock Road and Seagull Road would remain open, however the proposed layout would require the current ground level access from Victoria Dock Road to the eastbound DLR platform to be replaced with stairs and lift access to all platforms. The station would however remain fully accessible, with step-free access provided between street and train.

As terminating services would not serve stations west of Royal Victoria, customers travelling towards Canning Town, Stratford International, and central London via DLR or Jubilee line services would need to change trains at Royal Victoria or Custom House.

These proposed changes could be constructed within the existing railway boundary, on land previously part of the North London Line.

Royal Victoria turnback view of Canary Wharf

Canning Town Turnback Option

We would build a new turnback siding west of Canning Town station along a section of existing railway located between the station and Bow Creek Ecology Park, which borders Bow Creek, part of the River Lea. We would expand the railway corridor, realigning parts of existing DLR track and creating a new siding in-between the eastbound and westbound lines.

Canning Town possible turnback with Reubens Bridge

Trains from Beckton would terminate in Platform 4 at Canning Town station before moving into this siding (out of passenger service), wait for their timetabled departure, and re-enter passenger service at Canning Town Platform 3. We are currently planning that services from the proposed new station at Thamesmead would not use this turnback. This option would enable all future planned services to serve Custom House and Canning Town. This would allow passengers to interchange with Elizabeth line, Jubilee line and other DLR services, which would provide onward connections to a range of destinations in east and central London.

To build this new turnback siding, we would have to demolish Reubens Bridge. Reubens Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that links Wharfside Road to the path alongside the River Lea across the DLR tracks. It was closed shortly after its initial opening and there are no plans to re-open it. A full structural survey identified that it is non-compliant with current Health & Safety Legislation, Building Regulations, British Standards and associated supplementary guidance.

The turnback would be situated in an environmentally sensitive area as it adjoins Bow Creek Ecology Park and the River Lea. Further design work and assessment would need to be undertaken to understand any environmental impacts and incorporate mitigations into the design.

DLR train passing Reubens Bridge

We have not yet reached a preferred option for the turnback location and are still evaluating the full impacts of both locations, however any initial feedback for either of these locations will help us as we continue to assess these options as part of our design work.

The turnback would give us the ability to run more trains on the eastern part of the DLR network. While our current thinking is that it would not be used by Thamesmead trains directly, it would be an important part of the DLR network. We will continue to review our service plans to ensure we deliver the best level of service for our customers.

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This page explains how we would assess the environmental impacts of our proposals and plan to work through any adverse impacts.

Environmental Impact Assessment process

The proposed extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead will be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under the Transport and Works (Applications and Objections Procedure) (England and Wales) Rules 2006. The EIA process ensures that the likely significant environmental effects of the proposal and potential mitigation measures are properly and clearly set out in an Environmental Statement (ES). The EIA should include all significant impacts, both positive and negative. The ES is submitted as part of the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application to be considered in the decision-making process. More information about the TWAO process can be found here.

Arial view of development area across river

An EIA Scoping Opinion, which will set out the topics and assessment methods that are proposed to be included within the EIA, will be sought from the Secretary of State for Transport prior to the submission of the TWAO application. In advance of this, we have started collecting environmental baseline data, including seasonal ecological surveys, to determine what comprises the current environment.

To support the TWAO application and the ES, we will also produce a Transport Assessment, Flood Risk Assessment, Sustainability Statement, and an Equalities Impact Assessment.

We will engage with key environmental stakeholders such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England, the Port of London Authority, the Marine Management Organisation and the Local Planning Authorities. This engagement will ensure that due consideration is given to the likely significant environmental effects of the project and to appropriate mitigation measures. We would also like your feedback through this consultation on how our proposals might impact your local environment.

Environmental opportunities and impacts

The potential environmental impacts and opportunities of both construction and operation of the new extension on a variety of environmental areas has been and will continue to be considered throughout the design process. This has included looking at impacts on ecology, noise, air quality, communities, archaeology, built heritage, contaminated land, townscape and visual impact, water resources and flood risk.

The potential environmental impacts associated with our preferred option may include:

• Potential impacts on ecology and existing habitats in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, e.g. the Twin Tumps Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC)
• Potential impacts on local residents and communities
• Potential impacts on the river associated with construction
• Potential impacts from contamination due to the former uses of the areas

The proposals as a whole would support environmental benefits by providing an alternative to private car use, promoting the use of public transport and encouraging modal shift, contributing towards congestion reduction and air quality improvements.

Arial view across Thamesmead to Beckton

We also recognise that there is also opportunity for environmental enhancements in developing the proposals, for instance green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain and Climate Change adaptation measures.

The EIA will identify the likely significant effects due to the proposals and allow us to develop appropriate mitigation measures. As we develop our proposals further we will work with the local community and other stakeholders to fully understand these impacts and develop any mitigation strategies.

Sustainability

We are committed to promoting sustainability in the development of any of our proposals. We are developing sustainable principles, measures and targets which will be carried forward throughout the development of these proposals. Whilst we are still developing our proposals specific measures and targets, we are looking at core TfL sustainability themes such as:

Economic

• Enable safe, reliable, comfortable and affordable access to goods, jobs, education
• Improve productivity and supports wealth generation, promoting regeneration

Environmental

• Climate Change - reduce CO2 emissions and improve asset and service resilience
• Enhance London's built and natural environment
• Improve air quality and reduce noise

Social

• Safety and security - reduce accidents or criminal acts on public transport and road network and anticipate and prepare for terrorist attacks and improve community safety
• Equality and Diversity - ensure equal and fair treatment of all people and access to opportunities (housing, jobs); supporting existing and new communities and tackling deprivation
• Enable access to health and leisure facilities, improve passenger comfort and improve passenger and staff fitness

A sustainability assessment will be prepared and submitted with the TWAO application. This document will include several key performance indicators against which the scheme will be reviewed and monitored at key stages of the project lifecycle.

Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Net Gain

We have a legal obligation to conserve green infrastructure and biodiversity and promote and consider green infrastructure and biodiversity in our new infrastructure projects. We are committed to achieving 10 per cent Biodiversity Net gain for our new infrastructure projects. This will help us to comply with the actions set out in our Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity plan.

Arial view of Thamesmead

Green infrastructure is the network of green and blue features of natural and built environments and the connections between them that provide benefits for people and nature. Biodiversity is the variety of life in an area, from ecosystems to species to genes.

Green features include parks, woodlands, trees, allotments, community growing spaces, churchyards and cemeteries, hedges, verges, gardens and vegetated sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), such as raingardens, swales and green roofs.

Blue features include rivers, streams, ditches, wetlands, canals, and ponds linear features, such as rivers and trackside vegetation, provide connections through and between areas of green infrastructure.

We have completed a number of ecology surveys in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead to inform the development of our Biodiversity Net Gain strategy and Implementation & Monitoring plan. Further details will be provided at a future consultation.

Arial view of Beckton Riverside site

Carbon

We are committed to taking further steps to address our carbon emissions including in the delivery phase of projects and programmes, to meet TfL, Mayoral, national and international requirements. Research, Governmental publications, examples from industry and examples from within TfL have also shown that reducing whole life Carbon reduces whole life costs, demonstrating the benefits an overt focus on Carbon can have.

We are currently undertaking Carbon assessments to help us understand the whole life carbon impacts of our proposals and associated costs. This work includes producing a Carbon Resource Plan, DfT Carbon Management Plan and using TfL’s Carbon Model tool to help identify “hotspots” for further design work to reduce the project’s overall impact on Carbon.

Next steps

We will continue to collect environmental baseline data on all different topic areas. We will continue to engage with stakeholders and the local community as the scheme develops so that any impacts are fully understood, and that appropriate mitigation is developed. Feedback from this consultation will help inform the environmental impact assessment process.

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This page explains our approach to managing the construction impacts of our proposals on communities and the transport network.

Managing construction impacts

In the next phase of our development of the proposals we will look at how we could build the extension and what the impact of construction could be on communities, the transport network and the environment. Part of this assessment will be how we could use the River Thames and the Strategic Road Network to remove spoil from the construction sites.

There would be a number of stages to building the extension. Once the proposals are funded and we have consent under the Transport and Works Act order to build and operate the extension, we would acquire the sites needed for construction and for running the new service. We would then clear the sites and set up the services required to start works. This is part of the ‘enabling’ works.

After the enabling works are complete, we would start to build the new tunnels, stations, turnback and tunnel portals. This phase typically has the greatest impact because it requires the largest amount of land and machinery to carry out the works.

Generic image of construction site

Once the construction of these structures is largely complete, we would move into the ‘fit out’ stage which would get the extension ready for operational use. This stage is where we would integrate the new extension with the existing line. This is the most challenging part of delivering the extension. Finally, we would enter the final testing phases to ensure the extension can operate safely and reliably before opening the new line to passenger service.

Our experience has shown that the impact of construction can be responsibly managed, and we would keep people fully informed of our works. We will consider how we could reduce these impacts, and how we propose to mitigate them will be described in the Environmental Statement and its supporting assessments. More information can be found here.

We would develop a Code of Construction Practice which would set out controls and procedures we would use to build the extension. A Construction Traffic Management Plan would set out how we would manage the impact of construction traffic on the local road network. We would always look to minimise any negative impacts of our construction works as far as practicable.

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The purpose of this page is to explain about the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) process which would be used to obtain consent to build and operate the extension of the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

What is a Transport and Works Act order?

A TWAO is a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State under the Transport and Works Act 1992. A TWAO can authorise the construction, operation and maintenance of new transport infrastructure, such as the proposed extension of the DLR to Thamesmead.

A TWAO application could also provide compulsory powers for acquiring property interests and rights. A TWAO application could also be accompanied by a request to the Secretary of State for Transport to give a direction for deemed planning permission for the works to be authorised by a TWAO, meaning that planning permission could be granted by the government rather than the local authority/council.

The TWAO application process

A TWAO application is submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport and the procedure that follows allows any interested person to have their say before a decision is made.

The TWAO application would include:

• A draft of the proposed TWAO for the extension which would grant the required powers to construct and operate the extension
• Supporting plans and documents
• A request for a direction as to deemed planning permission
• An Environmental Statement which provides a description of the proposed scheme and how we propose to carry out the works and manage the construction process. It also sets out how the proposed scheme may affect the environment and how we propose to reduce those potential effects to an acceptable level
• A non-technical summary of the environmental statement
• A Funding Statement

After a TWAO is applied for there would be a statutory period where representations, comments or objections can be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport.

The Secretary of State for Transport would consider the TWAO application carefully and all representations made during the process and make decisions only after considering all the comments made – sometimes through a public inquiry. There have been public inquiries for other large infrastructure schemes in London including; London Overground Barking Riverside extension, Northern Line Extension and Bank Station Capacity Upgrade.

Land acquisition and compensation

The land and property needed for the extension would be acquired either voluntarily or by compulsory purchase powers granted through a TWAO. Owners and occupiers of land that may be compulsorily acquired for the purposes of our proposals may be entitled to claim compensation. Where possible we would seek to reach an agreement with any landowner potentially affected by any compulsory purchase powers to be provided by the TWAO in advance of the TWAO application for those powers.

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