Greenwich Conservatives launch petition calling on TfL to reconsider plan to defer Bakerloo line extension

By Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter

Tories furious at the apparent shelving of plans to extend the Bakerloo Tube line to Lewisham have launched a petition urging Transport for London (TfL) to reverse its decision on the project.

Greenwich councillor Charlie Davis today called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to prioritise the extension, saying the decision to defer it was a “slap in the face” for residents in London’s South-east.

Cllr Davis, who is also standing as a Conservative candidate for the London Assembly seat of Greenwich and Lewisham, made the call after the scheme was left off a list of TfL projects which the transport body has prioritised in its £5.7b pitch for Government funding.

The move means Lewisham will remain the only inner-city borough without a Tube station.

Cllr Davis earlier this year wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps, regarding safeguarding the future of the extension.

He responded last month that “the decision as to whether or not progress with the project will be for the Mayor of London to take”.

It came after London’s deputy mayor for transport, Heidi Alexander, said the extension couldn’t be guaranteed after the Covid-19 pandemic caused TfL’s fare revenue to plummet, with the body receiving a £1.69b bailout from the Government in May.

Cllr Davis said the project was needed to support thousands of jobs and homes across London’s south-east.

He said: “I’ll continue fighting to ensure the extension to Lewisham is delivered to benefit local residents and the local economy.”

A TfL spokeswoman said TfL’s “immediate priority was safeguarding the route from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham” to “protect the route from future development”.

In a joint statement released last week, the leaders of Southwark and Lewisham councils said they were disappointed with the financial “game-playing” from the Government over TfL’s funding.