The DLR extension to Thamesmead is expected to cost £1.62billion to construct and take seven years to complete, Transport for London (TfL) has revealed.
The transport authority put out a tender on Monday (February 2) confirming the scope and timeline of the light railway line project, which was given the green light in November by the government after years of lobbying.
The work, which will see the current end point at Gallion’s Reach extended to two new stations – Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead – is seen as a crucial step to unlocking more housing in London, including the proposed Thamesmead waterfront New Town.
TfL’s tender says work on the project should start in 2028 and be completed by 2033. A TfL source said they would begin “early enabling works” in 2027 before main works start in 2028.
Bidders must be prepared to build two new stations, a 1.5km cross-river tunnel and a “new turnback siding to the west of the extension to facilitate a future uplift in services” on the route, according to documents released on Monday.
The successful contractor will carry out the work between March 1 next year and December 31, 2033. It is understood that previously, TfL had hoped to start the work by 2027 and finish as early as 2032.
The Greater London Authority (GLA) and TfL will borrow the vast majority of the money needed for the extension, with government financial support for the scheme still unknown.
The latest revelations have prompted some concern from the Mayor of London’s opponents on the London Assembly, who have taken aim at what they see as a lack of value for money.
Fay Hammond, the GLA’s Chief Finance Officer, told the London Assembly last month that the project will be far higher than the initial construction figure, due to borrowing costs becoming “significant over 30 years”.
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“The Government’s lack of confidence in Sadiq Khan is costing Londoners millions more,” Thomas Turrell, the City Hall Conservatives’ transport spokesperson, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
“Instead of the government borrowing the money like they usually would for these important projects, they are making Sadiq Khan add it to TfL’s credit card, meaning it is Londoners who pay.
“Other Mayors have been able to secure government funding for big projects, but Sadiq Khan has failed to secure a penny for any of his transport priorities.
“If we are going to spend billions on a new rail line then we should also expect more than two stations.
“It is more cost effective and efficient to do a full extension now. We should be more ambitious and bring the line all the way to Belvedere. This benefits even more of Thamesmead, unlocks even more housing and will bring new jobs and opportunities to South East London.”
Tory colleague Neil Garratt added: “Any new transport project is welcome in a city still relying on Victorian infrastructure. Sadly, where Britain once led the world, we’ve forgotten how to deliver. Our costs are double the European average, so the Mayor must grip spending and timelines from day one.
“Thamesmead deserves better than another decade of delays and another billion in overruns. Failure means the next project gets cancelled before it starts.”
The Mayor was also urged to continue lobbying for other major transport projects that London needs, including the Bakerloo Line extension and the new West London Orbital line.
Hina Bokhari, the Liberal Democrat group leader on the London Assembly, told the LDRS: “While it’s exciting to see the DLR extension finally get underway, the 2033 timeline is a sobering reminder of just how long major transport projects like this take.
“That’s why it’s a matter of urgency that the government stops dithering and delaying and gives the Bakerloo Line extension and West London Orbital the go ahead too. This government claims growth is its number one priority – so why isn’t it backing the London infrastructure that would unlock it?”
Additional reporting by Ben Lynch.
