Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon yesterday announced a £75m funding deal which secures phase two of the East London Line which will complete the London Overground network and create an orbital railway around the capital.
The London Overground was formed when Transport for London (TfL) took control of overground rail services in the north on London in autumn 2007. Since its creation, TfL has invested heavily in station refurbishment and has announced millions of pounds of new trains.
The scheme will link Surrey Quays on the East London line extension to Clapham Junction, providing direct links to the City and Docklands and will be completed before the 2012 Games.
Speaking yesterday Mayor Johnson said: “This is tremendous news. We can finally get cracking on a vital section of track that will orbitise our Overground rail services. I promised Londoners that where funds were made available we would build the improvements they need. And it will be a real achievement when our Overground services are fully oysterised. I am delighted that a long hard slog of negotiations between ourselves and the Department of Transport has borne fruit that will result in a superb new service for thousands of Londoners.”
Mr Hoon said the scheme “will deliver a key rail link south of the river and improve local transport for Londoners by providing more choice and better access to other parts of the capital.”
Yesterday’s deal has been welcomed by passenger and business groups.
Sharon Grant, Chair of passenger watchdog London TravelWatch said: “We are delighted that, finally, after long negotiations, this much-needed project will go ahead. This is a vital link in a part of London that desperately needs improved public transport.”
However Grant said her body “hope that an appropriate funding package can be agreed to ensure that Surrey Canal Road station can be built in time for opening of this extension.”
Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive of London First, said the deal “promises residents and businesses in South East London a ‘ticket to ride’.”
“The latest phase of the East London line will complete the rail version of London’s South Circular. It will allow passengers to skirt around the busy mainline terminus stations, connecting parts of the capital less well served by public transport. London needs to accelerate investment in its transport infrastructure, to prepare for economic recovery. This is a good start.”
d stewart says
At long last i’ts about time south london has finally received some recognition as existing, lets hope that this is the first of many new lines serving south london. Never voted for Boris ‘cos i thought he was a fool but since he’s been mayor he has done some great things for london. Now all we need is a direct train link from croydon to Euston or to heathrow, oh well maybe in another 50 Years
Tom says
Um, you do know this is a Livingstone-era project that’s been delayed for months under Boris due to wrangling over costs, and has had a station deleted to allow TfL and the DfT come to an agreement? Hardly ‘doing great things for London’, more ‘leaping on a moving bus and nearly falling off’.
Angus says
A Livingstone era project maybe, but one that was never started. Boris has got it funded and got it going. Personally I’d rather have a rail link being built than just more lengthy discussions. If Boris ‘nearly fell off’, then Ken only ‘nearly got on’!
Liz says
This is yet another project with a large lead time that Boris is wrongly taking the credit for. This is a second phase of programme whis started years ago. Negotiations with the DfT would have started probably in 2007, and as we all know from Crossrail, funding takes a long time to agree. Boris would have had nothing to do with this except be Mayor when the funding was agreed.
Tom says
I also think a more inherently Keynesian Mayor would have ensured that Surrey Canal Road station was funded as part of the announcement. It’ll cost more to do it later, and if you’re going to do infrastructure investment, now is the time to do it.
Katy Woolcott says
I think its outrageous that they have dropped Surrey Canal Station off the agenda or to build later, (um, out of site out of mind and completely off the agenda more like). Ajoining residents to this proposed station have spent 3 years putting up with all the operational infrascruture being built next to them in order to service the line (operational buildings, train wash facilities, train storage and maintanance facilities) and all the rest. To be told “sorry guys not this time round” Not withstanding the fact that previously New Cross Gate was at the end of the East London Line and therefore always had guaranteed seat capacity in the mornings at peak hours going to prime locations (west end via canada water) These rights will be compromised by the extension of the line, and to date we (residents in the newcrossgate locality) have received no compensation. The least they can do is to stump up Surrey Canal Station as they said they were going to do.