The Mayor of London has granted approval for Transport for London (TfL) to seek legal authorisation for the rail extension in the east of London’s largest housing development site.
Subject to approval from the secretary of state for transport, TfL will apply a transport and works act order (TWAO) to commence construction of the 4.5km extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking line.
A third public consultation on the scheme last year preceded the decision of applying for the TWAO, which enlisted details, including land use, location of site compounds and construction traffic.
The extended route will offer London Overground services to a new station in the centre of the Barking Riverside community and construction of the facility is expected to begin next year and train services are expected to commence in 2021.
The extension is expected to open access to people in the local area to nearly 11,000 new, affordable homes along with new school and healthcare facilities, and the construction of a new district centre with commercial and leisure facilities.
It will serve as an alternative to car travel and connect Barking Riverside into London’s public transport network through connections at Barking, with District and Hammersmith & City Tube services and c2c services to London Fenchurch Street and Essex.
The £263m extension is fully funded and developers of the site, Barking Riverside Limited, will pledge £172m towards the project with the remainder pooled in by TfL.
TfL managing director of planning Richard de Cani said: "Overwhelming support has been demonstrated throughout the consultation process for this extension of the London Overground network to Barking Riverside.
"We will now be moving this to the next step so that we can get construction underway.
"This vital new railway will breathe life into this area, enabling up to 11,000 vital new homes, along with healthcare and leisure services, to be delivered."
Image: An image of a train at the Gospel Oak railway station. Photo: courtesy of Oxyman.
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