Extending the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead

Route

We would specifically like your comments on various aspects of our proposals, including:

• The proposed route of the extension and locations of the new stations
• Impacts on the wider transport network and nearby communities
• Our early work looking at the environmental impact of our proposals
• How we could build the extension
  
  

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Gallions Reach to Thamesmead

We are proposing that the proposed DLR extension would branch off from the existing DLR line after Gallions Reach, travelling through the Beckton Riverside area on a viaduct before descending to a new ground-level station in Beckton Riverside to the south of Armada Way. From here the track would descend underground into a tunnel to cross under the River Thames to continue the journey towards Thamesmead.

The track would come out of the tunnel at Thamesmead onto a viaduct to pass over the Twin Tumps and Thamesmere Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) before terminating at an elevated station in Thamesmead town centre on the current site of Cannon Retail Park.

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We have provided more information about this proposed alignment here and further technical information about our option selection process here.

Additional infrastructure

We would need shafts either side of the river to connect the proposed new tunnels to the surface. These shafts would provide an emergency access and evacuation route in the event of a fire or other incident. They would also provide access for maintenance and ventilation for the tunnels, without which the extension could not operate.

A structure known as a head house would sit above the shaft at the surface. This is typically a two-storey structure, and the design of the head house would be considerate to the local area.

Stations

We would like your feedback on our preferred options for the locations of the new stations. We looked at a number of options for each new station, which we explain below.

We have also 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, with residential developments, employment, retail, and community facilities.

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The station would be at ground-level and would be fully accessible, with step-free access provided between street and train.

There would be a covered footbridge between the platforms accessed by stairs and lifts. This footbridge would also act as publicly accessible connection across the railway to the new neighbourhoods either side of the station. One of the station entrances would connect to Armada Way, creating an opportunity for a new interchange between DLR and local bus routes 262, 366 and N551, and new walking and cycling links.

Artists impression of new 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.

There is more information about the proposed station here.

Thamesmead station

We are proposing a new station at Thamesmead on the site currently occupied by Cannon Retail Park. The site is currently accessed via Joyce Dawson Way from Central Way and is currently the site of several retail units and associated car parking. Cannon Retail Park and the proposed station location are located at Thamesmead Waterfront, part of a 100-hectare site proposed regeneration site owned by Peabody. The site offers potential to deliver thousands of new homes and jobs, alongside a new and expanded town centre. A station here would also mean faster and easier journeys to jobs, education and leisure, with improved journey times of around 25 minutes to Stratford, around 30 minutes to London Bridge, and around 35 minutes to the West End (Tottenham Court Road).

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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.

There would be a station entrance adjacent to Central Way, an important bus corridor in Thamesmead, creating a new interchange between DLR and local bus services. The station would also be designed so that it could support any further extension 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.

There is more information about the proposed station here.

Impacts on the DLR

Changes to existing DLR services

Gallions Reach station

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.

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. This is called a ‘turnback’.

We explain what a turnback is, why it could be needed in the future and what locations we are currently looking at, here.

Other impacts on the DLR network

Platform view of Gallions Reach station

Once the extension opens, DLR trains and stations (especially between Canning Town and Beckton) would become busier, as existing and new residents around Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead begin to use the DLR to access employment and leisure opportunities across the Docklands and east London.

On trains, the provision of a turnback on the existing network would allow us to run additional services to help manage any crowding issues that could occur as a result. At stations, we would identify any improvements needed to address any crowding issues, if any arise.

We continually monitor demand and keep services patterns under review, and we will continue to review once the extension is open to ensure it meets demand.

Gallions Reach station would likely require works before an extension could open. It has several constraints including short platforms and canopies, narrow staircases and limited lift provision.

Passenger numbers have increased as a result of local development and further development is planned even before any extension opens. This includes southern parts of the Beckton Riverside development that are within walking distance of the station.

We are reviewing how the additional demand generated by the extension would impact the operation of the station and what work would be required to provide additional capacity.

Environment and construction

We Environmental image of wild flowersdo not yet have detailed information about the impacts of our proposals on the environment, or how we would build the extension. We will use the feedback to this consultation to work on this next level of detail, and it will be the subject of a future consultation. We will also work with stakeholders and landowners to minimise the impact on existing businesses.

We can however share how we will be assessing the environmental impacts of our proposals, our approach to sustainability, green infrastructure & biodiversity net gain and carbon, and our approach to managing construction impacts on major projects. Further information about environment can be found here and construction here.

Background

The regeneration of Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead relies on a significant improvement in access to public transport, connecting these areas to the rest of London. High-quality public transport would:

• Enable the delivery of thousands of new homes
• Transform connectivity and increase public transport capacity
• Unlock access to new opportunities and jobs
• Support modal shift from private car use to more sustainable transport options
  
  

Potential new development and DLR station in Beckton Riverside

Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead both lack direct rail services. Recent public transport extensions in other parts of London, including the London Overground extension to Barking Riverside, and the delivery of the Elizabeth line have been the catalyst for the creation of thousands of new homes and jobs. They have also connected communities to new retail and leisure activities. More information about Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead areas can be found here.

Potential new development and DLR station in Thamesmead

We have reviewed several options for how we could provide more public transport to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, maximising the connections to the existing transport network and giving communities better access to jobs and leisure activities. There is more information about this review in our options analysis technical document here.

Last year we asked for your feedback on the principle of extending the DLR from Gallions Reach to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. We explained why extending the DLR was the best and most appropriate way to:

• Provide the transport capacity needed to support the construction of up to 30,000 new homes
• Support development in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead and create a new community for residents and visitors
• Provide better connections and quicker journeys across the River Thames to areas like Stratford, Canary Wharf and central London
• Reduce car dependency by providing a high-quality public transport option, supporting a shift towards more sustainable transport and lower carbon emissions
• Connect communities to new job opportunities on both sides of the River Thames, supporting up to 10,000 new jobs
• Enable easy interchange with the Jubilee line and Elizabeth line

The feedback to this consultation is here.

We used the feedback to this consultation to continue the design and assessment work on the extension, including looking at our preferred options for station locations, wider impacts on the existing DLR, communities and the environment, and ways the project could be funded.

We are also looking at a new bus transit scheme to strengthen bus connections and reliability between Thamesmead and transport hubs at Woolwich and Abbey Wood. This would support the delivery of new homes, improved town centres and better access to jobs. We will consult you on this in due course.

We have provided more in-depth information about the case for the scheme here.

Thames Gateway Bridge

In the previous consultation we told you about the interface between land needed to deliver new homes and town centres in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, and land safeguarded for the previously proposed Thames Gateway Bridge project. There are no plans to build this new road bridge, and we continue to work with the Department for Transport to remove the safeguarding directions applicable to that land, in order to unlock new homes and support the extension of the DLR.

More Information

Drop-in events

• Monday 30 June 2025 St Mark’s Centre, 218 Tollgate Road, Beckton, E6 5YA (15:30-19:30)
• Monday 7 July 2025 Moorings Sociable Club, Arnott Close, Thamesmead, SE28 8BG (15:00-19:00)
• Saturday 12 July 2025 Gallions Reach Shopping Park, Armada Way, E6 7ER (10:00-14:00)
• Saturday 19 July 2025 Thamesmere Leisure Centre, Thamesmere Drive, SE28 8RE (10:00-14:00)

• Saturday 2 August 2025 Thamesmead Festival, Southmere Park, SE2 9XA (10:00-14:00)
• Thursday 7 August 2025 Docklands Summer Splash, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1DE (11:00-15:00)

Accessible Information

Tell us your views

You can reply by completing our survey, which should take no more than 10 minutes to complete or if you are short on time, you can submit a quick response.

The closing date for comments is Sunday 17 August 2025.

Next steps

This consultation is open for eight weeks and the closing date for comments is Sunday 17 August 2025.

The feedback to this consultation will help us as we move to the next stages of design and development for the project. We will run a further consultation which will likely focus on the environment and construction impacts of the scheme, and we plan to submit an application under the Transport and Works Act to build and operate the proposed extension. More information about the planning process and the Transport and Works Act can be found here.

Should our application be successful and we are granted permission to build and operate the extension, subject to funding we could begin construction in the late 2020s, with the extension and new stations open in the early 2030s.