Local Update

The DLR is finally heading to Thamesmead

Of everywhere in London, Thamesmead has long been the odd one out: a district of tens of thousands of people with no rail station of its own. That could finally change. Transport for London has opened a public consultation on a new DLR branch that would run from Gallions Reach, under the Thames, to Thamesmead, adding two stations along the way at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

TfL says the scheme would open up around 145 hectares of brownfield land, enough for as many as 30,000 new homes and 10,000 jobs, and add an estimated £15.6 billion to the economy. Building work could start in 2029, with the new stations potentially opening in the early 2030s.

None of this lands overnight, but better transport tends to reshape demand and prices long before the first train runs, as Abbey Wood has already shown. If you own a home in Thamesmead or nearby, it is worth keeping an eye on.

The consultation is open until 16 July 2026.