The London Assembly’s Transport Committee has written to George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to urge him to fund the proposed electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking railway line.
Electrification of the line would bring significant improvements for both freight and passenger traffic, including reduced overcrowding for passengers, improved connectivity with the rest of London’s rail network, environmental benefits and the ability to run longer trains on the line.
Network Rail stated at a recent Transport Committee’s meeting (7 March) that full funding must be made available in 2013 to complete the electrification programme before Crossrail opens. After Crossrail starts running services in 2018, the funding needed to enable electric trains to run on the Gospel Oak to Barking line will accelerate due to access issues.
Transport for London (TfL) has offered to contribute £25 million towards the £90 million estimated cost of the scheme. The electrification programme also has the support of the Mayor, Transport for London (TfL), the rail industry and passenger groups.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said:
"It is a major disappointment that funding for the electrification of the Gospel Oak-Barking line, which was expected to be announced last year, has so far failed to materialise. There is a strong business case for electrification on a line where passenger demand already far outstrips capacity. We hope the Government will listen seriously to our calls for a serious package of funding – incorporating TfL’s £25 million contribution – and confirm this.”
Read more in the Barking and Dagenham Post.