Southwark and Lewisham councils have been campaigning for the Bakerloo line extension for a number of years, both to improve transport in our boroughs and to help build much needed new homes. The Bakerloo line extension is fundamental to plans for growth and development in Southwark and Lewisham, as well as bringing wider benefits to London.
Transport for London (TfL) has set out plans to extend the tube line from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham via Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate.
A further extension of the Bakerloo line beyond Lewisham has also been proposed, which could bring the tube to Ladywell, Catford and Lower Sydenham. TfL has carried out a number of consultations on the Bakerloo line extension and thousands of people have responded, overwhelmingly in support of the extension.
A recent impact report by Hatch, Moving London Forward: Bakerloo Line Upgrade & Extension (commissioned by Southwark Council and Central London Forward) highlighted the extensive benefits of the project to London & the wider UK:
- Driving national growth: with 150,000 jobs supported along the length of the line and wider supply chain, providing a unique opportunity for levelling-up London and the North. This forms part of a £1.5bn increase in UK GVA annually;
- Unlocking homebuilding: with 107,000 new homes supported along the length of line, helping to address the housing crisis in the capital;
- Accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero, through sustainable travel, with 150,000 additional public transport trips and 20,800 fewer car trips daily;
- Improving connectivity for some of the UK’s most deprived areas: with travel time from Old Kent Road to Oxford Circus cut by nearly two thirds.
Southwark and Lewisham Councils are working with the Mayor and TfL to build a strong case for the Bakerloo line extension.
If central government approves plans for the extension and the funding needed is secured, construction could begin as early as 2030.