Plans for an Elizabeth line extension additional into South East London and Kent acquired contemporary backing from councils regardless of questions over the large £3.2billion price.
Transport for London (TfL) has been wanting into an enlargement eastwards past Abbey Wooden to hyperlink up with the Southeastern Excessive Velocity 1 route at Ebbsfleet.
This might additionally allow the Elizabeth line, which opened in Might 2022 at a value of £19billion, to hyperlink up with Eurostar providers at Ebbsfleet in the direction of Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam ought to they recommence having been paused in the course of the pandemic.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is thought to be supportive of the thought in precept, however the primary problem is the foremost funding required to improve the railway east of Abbey Wooden.
TfL has additionally checked out two upgrades on the western part – linking Heathrow to Langley on the proposed Western Rail Hyperlink, and to Staines on the Southern Rail Hyperlink.
Planners are additionally contemplating how the HS2 station at Outdated Oak Widespread will impression the road, with a brand new hub now being constructed to attach passengers with Central London.
The Elizabeth line has had a bumpy experience since opening, with 350million passenger journeys made to this point on a service which has sped up journey in London – however common delays and infrastructure points which have seen trains stranded and plans ruined.
Early proposals for Crossrail had included it going to Gravesend, however this was reduce within the Nineties, earlier than a evaluate in 2004 advisable ending it at Abbey Wooden. Some provision was nonetheless included within the designs to construct an extension in a while.
OPTION 1 — The primary possibility within the newest session is for an Elizabeth line extension from Abbey Wooden to Northfleet/Ebbsfleet and Gravesend, sharing current tracks with Nationwide Rail
OPTION 2 — The second possibility would see an Elizabeth line extension from Abbey Wooden to Dartford, utilizing new devoted tracks constructed adjoining to the prevailing North Kent Line
OPTION 3 — The third possibility wouldn’t contain an Elizabeth line monitor extension, however as a substitute enhance Nationwide Rail service frequency between Abbey Wooden and Northfleet – mixed with a brand new Bus Fast Transit (BRT) service operating between Abbey Wooden to Ebbsfleet
The Elizabeth line runs from Studying/Heathrow within the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wooden
Now, councils that are a part of lobbying group Native London have commissioned a evaluate of 13 transport choices together with the Elizabeth line extension to Ebbsfleet in an try to push them ahead.
The native authorities – Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, Enfield, Greenwich, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest – declare funding in transport infrastructure of their areas of London has not stored tempo with ‘vital demographic change and inhabitants development, out-stripping nationwide and London averages’.
And the group has now commissioned financial and social analysis consultancy Eksogen to analyse the impression of investing within the Elizabeth line extension within the nine-borough area.
The Marketing campaign for Higher Transport is among the many teams backing the plans. Its spokesman Michael Solomon Williams instructed MailOnline at this time: ‘The financial and environmental case for investing in rail is robust, particularly on this main development area which has suffered from inadequate community protection for too lengthy. Simply this week the Elizabeth line has introduced that it has doubled its return on funding in two years.
‘Extending it could carry trendy, sustainable journey to the area, in addition to supporting the case for reopening Ebbsfleet Worldwide – a lot wanted for worldwide rail development – and for the proposed tram community between Kent and Essex.’
And Thomas Turrell, the Conservative London Meeting Member for Bexley and Bromley, instructed MailOnline: ‘Cities are constructed on their transport networks which is why we have to bold.
‘I totally help extending the Elizabeth line to Ebbsfleet through Erith. Such an extension could be an actual shot within the arm for the native financial system.
‘It could create much more jobs and alternatives throughout the north of Bexley in addition to offering native commuters with a quicker, extra dependable route into Central London. It could additionally present a direct connection between Ebbsfleet and Heathrow.’
It comes after an off-the-cuff group of authorities referred to as the Crossrail to Ebbsfleet (C2E) Partnership was fashioned in 2016 to advertise extending the Elizabeth line in the direction of Ebbsfleet.
Shortly after, it acquired help from Nationwide Infrastructure Fee chairman Sir John Armitt and the Authorities dedicated £4.85million for a research into choices for the route.
An ‘Abbey Wooden to Ebbsfleet Connectivity Research’ was later accomplished and the outcomes thought-about by C2E, which has since launched one other session on a refined shortlist of choices.
Mr Khan has already set out help for a ‘Authorities-led extension’ to the road and has included the Ebbsfleet enlargement in his transport technique.
And the route to increase Elizabeth line providers from Abbey Wooden to Hoo Junction in Kent, situated simply east of Gravesend, was safeguarded as a part of the Crossrail Invoice.
Native London stated a enterprise case is now with the Authorities and C2E is awaiting suggestions, though the partnership continues to be making the case significantly within the mild of the success of the present Elizabeth line by way of excessive demand.
The proposal was initially costed at £1.5billion, however the latest estimate is between £2.6billion and £3.2billion.
This might be the funds for a plan that sees eight of the 12 Elizabeth line providers per hour that terminate at Abbey Wooden being prolonged eastwards, sharing the prevailing North Kent line tracks with Southeastern and Thameslink providers.
Of the eight trains per hour, 4 would terminate at Northfleet, with the remaining 4 persevering with to Gravesend.
The Elizabeth line trains would cease in any respect the stations on the North Kent line between Abbey Wooden and Gravesend.
The choice would require adjustments to current Southeastern providers, and the development of some sections of additional monitor and junction works inside the current rail hall.
There would additionally must be main works at Abbey Wooden, Slade Inexperienced and Dartford stations and extra land could be wanted to accommodate extra practice stabling.
In June 2022, transport physique Transport for the South East outlined the way it might collect £3.2billion of funding to construct the extension to Ebbsfleet and past to Gravesend.
Nice British Railways, the proposed state-owned public physique, must conform to be the primary supply associate for the scheme. Cash would even be wanted from Authorities funding from broader programmes such because the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
As well as money would even be wanted from the Mayor, the Better London Authority and TfL – which might show to be a significant stumbling block given latest strain on the organisation’s funds.
Native contributions would even be required from authorities inside the C2E.
An Elizabeth line practice at Abbey Wooden station on the primary day of operation in Might 2022
There are plans to increase the Elizabeth line eastwards in the direction of Ebbsfleet Worldwide station
Eurostar trains stopped at Ebbsfleet Worldwide station till 2020 after they have been paused
However there was a setback after the troubled London Resort theme park mission was mothballed in March 2022, as a result of it was hoped that the builders might have additionally acquired concerned.
The hope now’s that the extension will make it a lot simpler and faster for individuals in South East London and Kent to journey inside the space or to succeed in Central London and Heathrow.
Southeastern at present gives most rail providers on the North Kent strains into London, with providers into London Bridge, Charing Cross, Cannon Avenue, and Victoria.
Thameslink additionally serves the world with trains working by Central London from Rainham to Luton.
As for the Elizabeth line, the community has been a significant success for TfL with greater than 350million journeys made on its trains for the reason that first service ran on Might 24, 2022 – and demand already above post-pandemic expectations.
Nevertheless it has been a troubled improvement at instances. Earlier than it even launched in Might 2022, the Crossrail mission suffered quite a few points together with building difficulties and issues putting in signalling methods which delayed the opening a number of instances.
This was a lot to the frustration of many householders shopping for properties alongside the route in the course of the building interval within the hope of getting a better commute.
In 2007, the road was given a gap date of December 2017, and set a funds of £14.8billion in 2010.
However the estimated ultimate price was £18.9billion, together with £5.1billion from the Authorities – making it greater than £4billion over funds.
In 2010, the opening was pushed again by a yr to happen in December 2018 – however simply 4 months earlier than this date, in August 2018, it was introduced that the road would the truth is not open on time.
4 years later the Elizabeth line did finally open in Might 2022 – however solely in three sections, with providers on the brand new half from Paddington to Abbey Wooden.
Passengers stroll alongside the tracks after being let off an Elizabeth line practice final December on which they have been stranded for 4 hours following overhead cable points outdoors Paddington
Individuals step onto the tracks close to Paddington after being stranded on a practice final December
Present providers from Studying and Heathrow to Paddington, and from Shenfield to Liverpool Avenue, have been additionally rebranded from ‘TfL Rail’ to the ‘Elizabeth line’ at this level.
The grand opening was lengthy awaited, and its first service from Paddington noticed worldwide rail lovers travelling to the capital and queueing for greater than six hours to get on board – with Mr Khan pictured hugging TfL officers in delight.
Nonetheless the primary day was additionally blighted by a hearth alarm being activated which noticed Paddington evacuated.
The road initially opened in three sections – from Studying/Heathrow to Paddington, Liverpool Avenue to Shenfield and the brand new Paddington to Abbey Wooden half.
Then in November 2022, the second stage started which noticed by trains begin operating from Studying and Heathrow to Abbey Wooden; and Shenfield to Paddington.
The ultimate stage from Might 2023 noticed providers begin operating from Shenfield to Heathrow, in addition to the prevailing Studying and Heathrow to Abbey Wooden providing.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan poses for a selfie on the primary Elizabeth line practice on Might 24, 2022
Individuals queue for the Elizabeth line at Paddington station earlier than the primary practice on Might 24, 2022
The Elizabeth line noticed greater than 150million passenger journeys throughout its first full yr of operation, then this rose considerably to 210million in 2023/14 – and the road now has about 700,000 passenger journeys each weekday.
The busiest day to this point was recorded on April 18, 2024 with 787,000 journeys – and the busiest station is Tottenham Court docket Highway, adopted by Liverpool Avenue.
Nonetheless the road has additionally suffered from main infrastructure issues and practice faults, which peaked in December final yr when commuters have been trapped at the hours of darkness for 4 hours on a practice outdoors Paddington.
Two individuals have been injured and passengers needed to stroll down freezing tracks at the hours of darkness amid the chaos following harm to overhead cables.
However there was a notable decline in issues in latest months after Community Rail launched a significant mission to give attention to repairing points within the western part.
And TfL bosses will likely be hoping upcoming information from the Workplace of Rail and Highway will affirm an enchancment in punctuality.
The primary passengers for the Elizabeth line at Paddington go down an escalator on Might 24, 2022
Now, the link-up between Native London and Eksogen will even see a complete of 13 transport tasks studied, together with the Elizabeth line extension.
Additional prompt enhancements embrace the event of Thames piers and wharves, the proposed Bakerloo line extension, Stratford Worldwide station and the Decrease Thames Crossing.
Baroness O’Neill of Bexley, chairman of Native London and chief of the London Borough of Bexley, stated: ‘Because the quickest rising a part of London, we want funding in transport infrastructure to make sure residents can entry work, training and leisure actions simply.
‘Ekosgen’s analysis will quantify the financial development, housing and job provide advantages of investing in transport, and determine projected transport wants of this fast-growing a part of London. That is about guaranteeing inclusive and sustainable development throughout our boroughs now and sooner or later.’
Margaret Collins of Ekosgen added: ‘We’re delighted to be working with Native London on this fee. This is a crucial piece of labor which is able to assist to drive financial development throughout this sub-region.
‘The work builds on latest research carried out throughout the nation to assist safe funding in locations, and our native monitor document on this a part of London.’
A Authorities supply instructed MailOnline at this time TfL is devolved and it’s subsequently for Mr Khan to ship providers within the capital.
The Division for Transport and TfL each declined to remark.
