East London Line Extensions

Scheme Description

The existing East London Line (ELL) runs from Shoreditch through Whitechapel towards New Cross and New Cross Gate. The overall aim of extending this line is to create a more strategic rail route that offers an additional cross London service and a basis for further development of a London orbital network.

As part of Transport for London's Five Year Investment Programme, the East London Line will be extended in two phases. Phase One will extend the East London Line north to Dalston Junction and south to Crystal Palace and West Croydon. This involves building new stations at Dalston, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch. The new stations will open when the East London Railway opens by June 2010. A further extension to Highbury & Islington from Dalston Junction will open by February 2011.

The aim is to have up to 16 trains per hour on the core section between Dalston and New Cross. Four trains per hour will be seen on the remainder of the line, to Highbury and Islington, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon. The trains expected to use the line would be over-ground style trains rather than tube trains.

London Underground Ltd (LUL) and Transport for London are promoting the scheme, with funding from the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). The definition of the project, its financial evaluation and the preparatory works are being funded by the SRA but a private sector contractor will undertake the substantive railway works. The contractor will design, build, and finance the infrastructure works, which will then be transferred to Network Rail.

Specific works within Islington

• The northern extension will eventually be connected to the North London Line via the disused Kingsland Covered Way. Using the North London Line track, services will be able to link to Highbury and Islington Station
• Possible enlargement of the pedestrian circulation area behind the ticket barriers and over the ELL tracks, within Highbury and Islington Station
• The re-instatement of a short section of railway line to join the North London Line to Dalston Junction
• Possible re-instatement of the 4th track along the North London Line
  
  

Powers and Timetable

Following a Public Local Inquiry in October/November 1994, powers were granted for the northern extension in January 1997 (Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992). Initial works began on this section in December 2001. Most of this work is in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, with a small amount of work taking place in Islington in the track area between St Jude Street and Kingsbury Terrace.

The Public Inquiry into the southern extensions was held in November 2000 and was one of the shortest ever such inquiries (4 days), resulting in a favourable decision on October 9 2001.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has dealt with applications to 'list' both the Goodsyard and the Braithwaite Viaduct that forms part of it. These resulted in the Braithwaite Viaduct being listed as a Grade 2 listed building in March 2002.

For more information contact:

Alan Thornton
Project Manager
C/o East London Line Project
1 Butler Place
London SW1H 0PT
Tel: 020 7941 7701

Simon Batchelor
C/o East London Line Project
Townsend House
Greycoat Place
London SW1P 1BL
Tel: 020 7918 4496