Homes England has announced £23m in funding for Transport for London (TfL) to deliver a new Bus Transit link.
The funding marks a huge step toward unlocking large-scale regeneration at Thamesmead Waterfront and Beckton Riverside – two of London’s largest brownfield sites.
According to Homes England, the money will deliver a new Bus Transit link designed to connect planned housing areas with Abbey Wood and Woolwich Elizabeth line stations. The route will reinforce existing transport corridors and provide early groundwork for a future Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension, which received government backing in the 2025 autumn budget.
The project, expected to begin ahead of wider DLR works, forms part of a long-term programme that could support between 25,000 and 30,000 new homes across roughly, 145 hectares in the boroughs of Greenwich and Newham.
Housing secretary Steve Reed said the announcement highlights the direct link between infrastructure investment and economic growth.
‘The DLR extension to Thamesmead is a perfect example of how this government is making the economy grow faster,’ Reed said. ‘Better public transport links open up land for thousands of new homes…We’re not just building 1.5 million homes but ensuring communities like Thamesmead are finally receiving the investment and infrastructure they’ve been promised for decades.’
Homes England, which has supported the DLR expansion form its inception, emphasised the collaboration behind the programme. The agency has been working with a number of authorities and organisations including the Greater London Authority, Newham and Greenwich councils, developers, landowners and the Department for Transport.
‘This collaboration is just one example of how local and national organisations are working together, combining expertise and resources, to create communities with the homes and infrastructure that people need to thrive and grow,’ Amy Rees CB, chief executive of Homes England, said. ‘We are proud to work with local leaders, mayors and partners across the country, to help everybody have a safe, secure place to call home within sustainable, flourishing communities.’
TfL welcomed the grant as a milestone in delivering long-awaited transport improvements. Alex Williams, the agency’s chief customer and strategy officer, said: ‘This funding marks an important step towards delivering better transport connections for Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside. By improving bus links now and progressing plans for the DLR extension, we’re helping unlock thousands of new homes and creating sustainable communities with the transport infrastructure they need to thrive.’
Image: Jens Riesenberg/UnSplash
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