Questions raised about DLR extension to Thamesmead on council bill

Greenwich Council has hinted it may not be able to fund the proposed DLR extension to Thamesmead, with the authority negotiating with the Mayor of London in a bid to withdraw the bill. The authority’s transport cabinet member claimed the council was concerned about the level of money it was being asked to contribute to the project.

Transport for London (TfL) launched a consultation between February and March this year on plans to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, via Beckton Riverside. The transport authority claimed the scheme could deliver up to 30,000 new homes in the boroughs of Newham and Greenwich and add up to 10,000 new jobs.

However, Labor councilor Averil Lekau, cabinet member for transport for Greenwich Council, told a Transport and Places Scrutiny meeting on July 25 that the council’s finances could prevent the planned expansion. The cabinet member said a business case for the expansion had been submitted to central government and discussions were ongoing.

READ MORE: Greenwich council agrees to spend £83,000 on new staff after ‘damning’ financial report.

Cllr Lekau told the meeting: “I have to say, we are being asked to deal with a considerable amount of money (next to) Newham and both authorities are concerned that we simply could not do that, so we are still negotiating with the mayor and the government to see how that goes.”

Newham Council documents revealed last year that the project could cost up to £1.7bn to build. The Mayor of London suggested in May that Belvedere could also benefit from further DLR extension in the future. A spokesman later confirmed that the Thamesmead project would be designed to allow for further extensions.

The comments came after Conservative London Assembly Member Thomas Turrell pitched Bexley Council’s support for the initiative. However, the mayor argued earlier this month that the cost of further extending the service to Belvedere would be relatively high compared to the number of extra homes it would unlock.

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