Amey Rail has been selected to undertake an early works package worth up to £42m for the proposed Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to Thamesmead in east London.
The appointment has been made by DLR, a subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL), through the transport authority’s Infrastructure Improvement Framework. The initial commitment will focus on early contractor involvement, helping to establish the scope, requirements and delivery arrangements for the proposed extension.
The planned 3km route will branch off from the existing DLR network at Gallions Reach in the Royal Docks, continuing through Beckton Riverside before crossing beneath the River Thames to Thamesmead. The proposed infrastructure includes a viaduct through Beckton Riverside, followed by a 1.5km twin-bore tunnel beneath the river.
Two new stations are planned as part of the scheme, at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead Waterfront. The latter is the location of a 100-hectare regeneration site owned by housing association Peabody, where the extension is expected to support substantial residential and commercial development.
The wider project is forecast to facilitate the delivery of up to 30,000 new homes and generate an estimated £15.6bn boost to London’s economy, while improving public transport connections to areas currently underserved by the rail network.
Amey’s initial responsibilities will include mobilisation, reviewing the programme and its underlying assumptions, identifying potential risks, defining the requirements for early works and establishing the scope of necessary surveys. This stage will help clarify the technical and delivery considerations ahead of the main construction programme.
A subsequent phase is expected to involve carrying out agreed surveys and investigations, developing the scope of enabling works and establishing more detailed cost estimates, programme requirements and commercial arrangements.
The final stage of the package will involve delivering the defined early works, providing the groundwork for the main construction phase of the DLR extension.
The initial contract is expected to be signed within two weeks and will run until October 2028, with an option to extend the arrangement to October 2030. However, the later survey and enabling works stages remain subject to affordability, the necessary approvals and contractual conditions.
Amey’s appointment marks an early step in progressing the proposed extension, with the initial work intended to develop the information and delivery plans needed to move the scheme towards construction.
