Travel Connections

The region's proximity to central London means that London Thames Gateway residents are ideally placed to benefit from the capital's improving public transport infrastructure, currently the fastest growing network in the UK.

Key to this is the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) which in the past few years has been extended to London City Airport and, from January 2009, to a brand new station at Woolwich Arsenal. . Putting commuters on the right track, this provides essential service from those working in the city or looking to travel there to go shopping or enjoy a night out. Services every 7 to 10 minutes, and a journey time of less than 45 minutes to central London, makes the extended DLR a real bonus for local residents.  Plans for a further extension to Dagenham Dock are being discussed by the Mayor and Government.

Travelling further a field is just as simple. The region's extensive road networks and proximity to the M25 make journeys to other parts of the UK easy.

Additionally, London City Airport offers the global traveller easy access to the continent, flying direct to 32 destinations served by 10 airlines. The airport, which saw a 12 per cent increase in passenger numbers from 2007 to 2008, plays an important role in the ongoing regeneration of east London and will be key in serving the 2012 Olympics. It also currently boasts the highest proportion of passengers using rail than any other London airport and with shorter journeys to and from the airport, has a smaller impact on the environment.  In October 2008, the London Borough of Newham approved a planning application submitted by the airport, increasing the number of permitted flight movements from 80,000 to 120,000 per year without the need for an additional runway.

High Speed 1 is Britain's first major new railway for over a century and from 2010 will provide a new transport hub in London Thames Gateway at Stratford. The new High Speed 1 service from St. Pancras International was officially opened in November 2007 and has cut 20 minutes from journey times to the Continent, bringing customers and employees closer to London Thames Gateway businesses. Commuter services to the new Stratford International Station will start in 2010 and will provide a key transport link for the 2012 Olympics, taking Olympic Park visitors in Stratford to St. Pancras International in seven minutes.

The development of Crossrail is London's key current infrastructure project, and once open will connect east and west London, making travelling in the area quicker and easier and reducing crowding on London's central transport network. The proposed route goes from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west right across the capital into Essex and Kent in the east. The line travels underground through the city centre between Paddington and east London, and will operate with main line size trains, carrying more than 1500 passengers each. The first trains are due to run in 2017.

The only Underground line not to travel through Zone One, The East London Line is also being considerably extended. The East London Line route will link north and south, travelling between Highbury & Islington, through Canada Water with its connection to the Jubilee Line, and down to places not previously on the Underground network including Brockley and Forest Hill. In terms of commuter infrastructure, the East London Line extension, due to open in 2010, will have a considerable and highly positive impact on the local communities north and south of the river.  Phase 2 of the scheme will provide a further connection to Gallions Reach and is expected to be operational by 2012.

Linking into the East London Line will be the East London Transit (ELT), a high capacity fast bus service that will connect locations in Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and across London Thames Gateway.  The ELT will significantly boost transport provision in the region and improve access to employment and leisure opportunities, retail and services for businesses and local communities. Phase 1 of the scheme, which will link Ilford with Dagenham Dock via Barking Town Centre, began construction in January 2009 and will be operational from early 2010. Phase 2 will provide a connection to Gallions Reach and is expected to be operational by 2012. 

A similar fast bus link is being developed on the south of the river Thames.  The Greenwich Waterfront Transit is due to be operational by late 2011 and will secure better access to Woolwich town centre and several major development schemes including the Greenwich Peninsula project.