Southwark and Lewisham council join together to launch ‘Back the Bakerloo’ campaign to extend tubeline
BY CALUM FRASER
calum@slpmedia.co.uk
Town hall chiefs have made a bid for residents to support their plans to extend the Bakerloo line as developers in Canary Wharf look to scupper their plans with an alternative route.
Southwark and Lewisham councils have joined together to launch the Back the Bakerloo campaign to get people behind their plans to extend the line from Elephant and Castle through Old Kent Road and past Lewisham.
But developer the Canary Wharf Group has complained to Southwark council over plans to develop the Canada Water area with hundreds of homes, commercial units and a 36-storey tower earmarked.
It believes the new homes will put pressure on an already crowded Jubilee line and wants to see the Bakerloo line extended through Canary Wharf instead to mediate these issues.
In the letter of objection to the plans, Jason Larkin, Canary Wharf Group associate director of planning, said: “We would like to remind you of our previous proposals to extend the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle to Charlton via Surrey Quays and Canary Wharf.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has committed to extending the Bakerloo line, and Transport for London has been consulting the public on plans for months.
Southwark and Lewisham councils have been campaigning for the Bakerloo line extension for a number of years.
They believe it will improve transport in the boroughs and help build new homes. The estimated cost of their prefered scheme is ÂŁ3.1billion.
Current proposals for the regeneration of the Old Kent Road include 20,000 new homes with 7,000 affordable, 10,000 new jobs and two new schools.
Councillor Johnson Situ, cabinet member for growth, development and planning at Southwark council, said: “’I’m backing the Bakerloo because the extension will make a huge difference to people living and working in the Old Kent Road, as well as bringing wider benefits to London.
“There will be a new town centre along one of London’s most famous thoroughfares – Old Kent Road – and the extension is key to delivering more affordable homes, jobs and services to this part of London and opening up new opportunities for people across the city.”
Cllr Brenda Dacres, Lewisham council’s cabinet member for parks, neighbourhoods and transport, said: “I’m backing the Bakerloo because it will bring new jobs, more affordable homes and much improved transport links to Lewisham.
Travelling from Lewisham to the West End will be eight minutes quicker, there will be a train every two to three minutes, and it is central to unlocking the future economic growth in Lewisham.”
A further extension of the Bakerloo line beyond Lewisham has also been proposed, which could potentially bring the Tube to Ladywell, Catford and Lower Sydenham.
If central government approves plans for the Bakerloo extension and the funding needed is secured, construction could begin in 2023.
To find out more about the plans for the Bakerloo line extension go to www.backthebakerloo.org.uk.
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