Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration presented a report on the proposal to extend the London Overground line to Barking Riverside.

The delivery of a rail link to Barking Riverside was a key infrastructure requirement to deliver much of the anticipated growth over the next 10 years including new housing and jobs of importance for the Borough and London.  Transport for London (TfL) was to start to seek powers in 2015 to construct the extension to Barking Riverside of the Gospel Oak to Barking line. These powers would be secured under the Transport and Works Act and a preferred route for the scheme was being proposed by TfL following extensive technical studies on route options.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration requested that two further recommendations be included, one to request from TfL that the Hammersmith and City line use Platform 1 at Barking Station if the Overground extension went ahead and the second to assure residents that there would be minimum disruption during the works.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Schools questioned as to whether further stations could be provided along the line, however it was considered that this would increase journey time.  In response to a further question, it was also noted that a tram system would not be appropriate at this time.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care felt the Council should be working up the business case to deliver a second station to serve Thames View / Great Fleete and that careful thought needs to be given to secure good bus links to the station(s), all of which will require focussed lobbying of the next London Mayoral candidates. 

Cabinet supported the proposal and felt encouraged that those residents already living in Barking Riverside would benefit from a new train station.

The Cabinet Member for Finance raised a query in relation to the anticipated investment required of this Council of £9.0m over the three year period from 2017 to 2019 for which there is currently no provision in the Capital Programme.  In response, the Chief Finance Officer advised Cabinet that he anticipated that the Council would recoup their costs through the additional investments the link would bring.

Cabinet Members also discussed issues relating to potential new housing-related opportunities in the area brought about by new transport links and it was noted that an appropriate report would be presented to the Cabinet in due course.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Strongly support, in principle, the proposal to extend the London Overground line to Barking Riverside and the action of making a Transport and Works Act Proposal;

(ii)  Support the broad route alignment as detailed in the report;

(iii)  Support the continued safeguarding of the Docklands Light Railway line through Barking Riverside;

(iv)  Support any designs which provide for a second rail station near Thames View East;

(v)  Support the proposal to extend the London Overground line to Abbey Wood Station in Bexley; and

(vi)  Note that a further report will be presented to Cabinet setting out the financial implications of any proposed contribution by the Council towards the London Overground line extension to Barking Riverside;

(vii)  Ask TfL to examine the possibility of the Hammersmith and City Underground line using Platform 1 at Barking Station, if the London Overground line is extended to Barking Riverside; and

(viii)  Assure residents and commuters that there will be minimum disruption during the works to the proposed new line.