Every single London borough council has backed the Bakerloo line extension – a £7.9 billion underground expansion seen as vital to the Old Kent Road’s revitalisation.
Southwark and Lewisham councils and Transport for London (TfL) support the project – but Covid-19 and financial pressures have delayed long-awaited government backing.
Cllr Helen Dennis, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for new homes & sustainable development, said: “The message from London is clear: the capital’s prosperity hinges on the Bakerloo line extension, alongside other key developments.
“It’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. The weight of all London councils adds to the mounting business case for a scheme set to kick-start our city’s growth sustainably.”
Could the possible new TfL deal mean the Bakerloo Line Extension is revived?
There are also talks of an interim ‘Bakerloo Bus’ – a shuttle bus service funded by local developments which has already received a total £1.25 million investment.
The Bakerloo line extension would go from Elephant and Castle station to Lewisham station and see three new tube stops built.
These would be called Burgess Park – where the big Tesco currently is – Old Kent Road – on the current Lidl site – and New Cross Gate – at the big Sainsbury’s.
The extension is key to the development of the Old Kent Road area, where Southwark Council wants to build 20,000 new homes, including at least 5,000 social rent properties, by 2038.
Last year TfL received a £3.6 billion bail-out. Nick Bowes, CEO of the Borough-based Centre for London think tank, said this boded well for the extension.
“Of all of the projects that are floating around in London, the next projects in the pipeline, the Bakerloo line extension has one of the best chances,” he told the News.
“Crossrail 2 is too expensive. There are quite a number of other smaller schemes…But the Bakerloo line extension sits nicely in the middle, it’s ready to go, it’s been consulted on, the route’s been safeguarded.”
Last December, TfL began consulting engineers on future tunnelling works and said it was “committed to delivering” the Bakerloo line extension.
