Yahoo News Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham 'could get Government funding in 2025'
The much-anticipated extension of the Bakerloo Line could get funding as early as spring of next year, business leaders have been told.
A senior Transport for London (TfL) official, speaking at the launch of a new business-led campaign to extend the line to Hayes, Bromley, via Lewisham, said that the Government’s focus on housing development has improved the project's chances.
The ‘Biz4Bakerloo’ launch was also attened by Sadiq Khan’s transport deputy, Seb Dance, who emphasised the need to replace the line’s 52-year-old trains, describing their continued operation as 'quite astonishing'.
READ MORE: Martin Lewis' MSE warns Tesco Clubcard shoppers 'you have just days left' to make urgent check
The proposed project would involve constructing a new tunnel from Elephant and Castle, the line’s current terminus, with new stations at Burgess Park and Old Kent Road. Stops at New Cross Gate and Lewisham would follow, with potential further extensions using existing rail links down to Hayes and Beckenham Junction.
TfL has stated that the majority of the project will require Government funding.
Two years ago, the cost of extending to Lewisham was estimated between £5.2 billion and £8.7 billion at 2021 prices, with an additional £800 million to £1.9 billion needed to go beyond Lewisham.
Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, reminded attendees that there are 'peaks and troughs' in planning any major rail project, as certainty over its construction fluctuates.
“It feels to me, in that peaks and troughs thing, that it’s on the way up, that there’s some good planets aligning to make sure that we are going to proceed with the scheme,” he said.
Plans for the project are already 'very clearly defined', Mr Williams pointed out, adding that the case for replacing the 'ancient' trains is 'compelling'.
The proposed route from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham is firmly 'safeguarded', he noted, with the backing of 'very strong support' from local borough councils and the private sector.
Mr Williams also underlined the Labour Government's commitment to housing, setting a target of 81,000 new homes a year for London.
“You aren’t going to get anywhere near that [target], unless you invest in infrastructure – and this is a great project for that,” Mr Williams said.
Looking forward, he revealed TfL's plans to request funding in the Chancellor’s impending 'comprehensive spending review' set for next spring, earmarking Government spending for years to come. This specific funding would be crucial for the Bakerloo Line works.
“But to get it over the line, we absolutely do need business support for that, and that coalition of the private and public sector,” he said, pointing out that the development of the Elizabeth line, formerly known as Crossrail, 'went through some really difficult times'.
He added: “But it got to a stage, in the early 2000s, where it became kind of unstoppable. It was unstoppable because the business community was so much behind it, and I think in some ways what we need to do for the Bakerloo is make it unstoppable...
“So I’m much more optimistic about the scheme now. There’s a lot of hurdles to overcome, but if the money is made available, we can absolutely deliver this.”
Mr Dance, the deputy mayor for transport, said the project is “imperative” and stressed the urgency of securing modern trains to replace the current fleet, which dates from 1972.
“It’s quite astonishing, frankly, that they still run. They’re very built,” he said.
“But there are increasingly fewer people who know how to fix them. Unfortunately, the number of people we are relying upon to fix these trains, as and when they fall out of service, is reducing.
“We cannot go on in a situation running the oldest trains in western Europe on our network. We have to upgrade it.”
He added that in terms of seeking funding from the Government, it was not simply a case of “putting a begging bowl out”, as the scheme will deliver substantial economic rewards. He concluded: “This project is a no-brainer – back it.”
