Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation for the extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), with the preferred route being from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside.

Transport for London will work with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Newham to build two new stations.

The consultation is open until 18 March, and public feedback will help make decisions about the scheme and inform the designs and next steps. After public consultation, the next stage will be to produce an Outline Business Case.

The proposed extension will connect two Opportunity Areas and four development sites, and include a new station at Beckton Riverside.

A new tunnel under the River Thames will link to another new station at Thamesmead.

New public transport options such as the extension will support low-carbon developments in Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside to enable the building of up to 25,000-30,000 new homes along the route. Connectivity across the river will also be improved and provide alternatives to private car use to reduce future emissions and pollution levels.

A Strategic Outline Case was submitted to the government in 2023, outlining how the extension could have a transformative effect on the area.

Although the main part of the work will be to identify options for maximising local and regional sources of funding, as well as driving cost and creating efficiencies, the size of the projects will require a certain amount of external support.

Until now, funding for the feasibility study has been provided by a partnership of private and public sector bodies with an interest in regenerating the area. It is hoped that an affordable solution can be agreed by 2025 so that construction can begin by 2028 the extension opening in the early 2030s.

To boost capacity and meet growing demand across the Docklands Light Railway network, starting this year, Transport for London is introducing 54 new trains ,with 33 of them replacing the fleets oldest trains. Final delivery is scheduled for 2026.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Although we have started a record-breaking 116,000 plus genuinely affordable homes and completed more homes of all types since any time since the 1930s, the demand for housing in London shows no sign of slowing down.

“I’m excited for TfL to launch this consultation – extending the DLR will unlock huge opportunities for London, support tens of thousands of new homes, deliver new transport connections, and boost the economy, supporting the creation of thousands of jobs. Enabling the infrastructure needed for the capital’s growth is key to building a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”

Alex Williams, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, said: Extending the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside presents a crucial opportunity to boost connectivity by linking two major growth areas with two new accessible stations.

“This important public consultation will ensure we can get feedback from those who may benefit from the extension in future to help shape the scheme as we progress through to the next stages of planning.”

Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: The DLR extension is central to the regeneration of Thamesmead and would transform the area, just like the Elizabeth line has done for Woolwich and Abbey Wood. We remain committed as part of Our Greenwich mission to make it easier, safer and greener for residents to move around the borough and the rest of London.

“High quality public transport is essential to our local economy; this extension would support thousands of jobs and the delivery of up to 15,000 new homes in Thamesmead. We encourage residents and businesses to participate in the consultation and share their feedback on the proposals .”

Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead, said: “I am very pleased that TfL is launching a consultation on plans to extend the DLR to our community in Thamesmead.

“This would be a much-needed public transport improvement for the people of Thamesmead who need to be able to travel easily and cheaply for work, study or leisure.

“I’ve long campaigned for these ambitious plans to put Thamesmead on the transport map and I’m pleased to have had the support of local authorities, TfL, local businesses, community groups, and most importantly the people who live here.”

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham, said: “The new DLR extension has the potential to create a new town centre in the south of the borough, with more affordable homes, improved community infrastructure, as well as opening up the riverfront to everyone.

“Our tried and tested co-production model is how we ensure residents voices are listened to and heard in all the important decisions we make to shape the future of the borough. So I urge Newham residents to take the time to feed into these important consultations which will help us and the project partners move on to the next steps to make these plans a reality.”