Bakerloo Line extension backed by London Councils

The Bakerloo Line extension is one of the projects supported by all the London boroughs in the new London Infrastructure Framework.

The case for extending the Bakerloo line along Old Kent Road to Lewisham and Hayes has long been backed by Southwark and Lewisham councils as well as developers, businesses, TfL and an overwhelming majority of local residents.

Now the scheme has gained cross-party, pan-London support, in the new London Infrastructure Framework, for the many benefits it would unlock. These include more than 110,000 new homes and 130,000 jobs across the capital.

Technical work to prepare for the Bakerloo line extension continues rapidly, laying the way for Southwark, Lewisham and TfL to seek government approval for the scheme via the Transport and Works Act in 2025.

In the meantime, a rapid shuttle bus service for Old Kent Road – to be funded from local developments – is being explored.

Over £1.25m has been raised already for the proposed ‘Bakerloo Bus’, which would be accompanied by changes to make it easier and safer for cyclists and pedestrians along Old Kent Road.

The Bakerloo Line extension, SE London Combined Heat and Power and the Rotherhithe Crossing are the three local projects supported by London Councils, an umbrella group made up of all 33 of the capital’s local authorities.

The aim of London Councils’ London Infrastructure Framework is to secure investment in major developments to boost economic growth; reduce inequalities and help London’s boroughs to achieve net zero across the capital.

Nowhere is this more relevant than Old Kent Road, where development is rapidly gathering pace.

Key statistics at a glance

• More than half of the 3,333 homes which have been started or completed in the area are affordable
• This includes over 1,000 social rent homes – built as part of Southwark Council’s efforts to help tackle the London-wide housing crisis (Southwark is currently building a third of all the new council homes in England)
• More than 9,500 homes have been granted detailed planning permission in the Old Kent Road area – more than any other project in London
• Old Kent Road has the highest number of schemes that mix commercial with residential use, in London.
• Over 25,000 m2 of commercial floor space has already been started or built (including 10 per cent affordable), and will support more than 1,000 jobs
• More than 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions will be saved every year through Southwark council’s extension of the District Heating Network to a further 3,000+ homes and developments in and around Old Kent Road
• £10.6m for local projects has been raised on development schemes through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which, so far, the council has used to fund 28 environmental and community projects

Cllr Helen Dennis, Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for New Homes & Sustainable Development, said:

“The message from London is clear: the capital’s prosperity hinges on the Bakerloo line extension, alongside other key developments. It’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. The weight of all London councils adds to the mounting business case for a scheme set to kick-start our city’s growth sustainably.

“Despite brutal economic headwinds, it’s full steam ahead for Old Kent Road. It’s a neighbourhood that’s helping to tip the scales of London’s extreme housing crisis  – with affordable homes making up the majority of over 3,300 new homes.

Over 30 per cent are new social rent homes, meaning families in desperate need of secure and suitable housing can plant proper roots in the area, benefitting from the investment in public services and community projects that new developments bring.

The Bakerloo line extension will supercharge this sustainable growth, with thousands of new homes people can actually afford.”

Find out more about the Bakerloo line extension.