Members of the London Assembly’ s Transport Committee have met with Mayor of London Boris Johnson to urge him to step up efforts to secure funding for the second phase of the East London Line extension.
The Mayor is currently discussing options with Transport for London and the Department for Transport to identify funding for Phase 2, which would extend the East London Line from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction and complete the vision of an orbital railway for London.
It is estimated that completing the orbital route would increase the number of passengers carried to 50 million per year: a huge return for a relatively low investment in transport infrastructure terms.
While the full scheme cost is calculated at £105 million, changes to the scope and other identified savings mean the actual grant funding needed to facilitate Phase 2 by 2011 is £24 million.
The extension would relieve overcrowding at London Bridge station, allow people to circumnavigate central London, and increase access to the East End from south London – which is particularly important in light of the pressures that will be put on the capital’s public transport system during the 2012 Games.
The cross-party delegation of Transport Committee Members expressed their support for the project and called on the Mayor to take urgent action on securing funding for ELLX2:
Val Shawcross AM (Lab.), Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:"Phase 2 of the East London Line extension must be delivered. Ultimately everyone in the capital would benefit and I would hate to see this major infrastructure project lost in a game of funding tennis between the Mayor’s office and government."
Caroline Pidgeon AM (Lib. Dem.), Deputy Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said:"Phase 2 of the East London Line project is obviously essential to help deal with the current overcrowding of our public transport network in central London, and will provide a vital transport link across South London, helping the regeneration of large areas."
Richard Tracey AM (Con.), Transport Committee Member, said:"I believe the overriding argument is the link from Clapham Junction for the large number of travellers from the south and south-west, because they will be able to get to the London Olympics directly by the East London Line.
Jenny Jones AM (Green), Transport Committee Member, said:"London’s growing population means that the medium and long term value of this scheme will be in taking people off the central system and freeing it up for people who need to travel there."