Barking Riverside extension to open ahead of schedule

A new station at Barking Riverside is set to open ahead of schedule later this summer.

The new station is at the end of a 4.5 km extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking London Overground route. Trains are already running between Barking and Barking Riverside while route testing and driver training take place.

Situated at the heart of Barking Riverside, the new extension will drastically cut journey times from Barking to Barking Riverside to just seven minutes compared to the current bus services which take around 25 minutes,

There will be four trains per hour, from Barking Riverside to Barking, where there is an easy interchange to the District and Hammersmith & City lines and c2c services. Barking Riverside station is step-free and was added to the Tube map in May.

A Transport and Works Act Order was granted by the Secretary of State in 2017 and major construction started in 2019. Viaduct construction and track laying was completed in October last year and commissioning of the signals was completed in March this year.

The extension is an intrinsic part of the Barking Riverside development, which is being delivered by Barking Riverside Limited, a joint venture between L&Q and the Mayor of London. This is a 180-hectare brownfield site on the north bank of the River Thames and is set to be one of London's fastest-growing areas.

The extension to Barking Riverside Extension will help to enable the construction of more than 10,000 new homes along with a range of community, commercial, and retail spaces along a 2 km stretch of the River Thames. The new station will provide a direct interchange with local bus services and will be a five-minute walk from the riverside, which is already served by Uber Boat by Thames Clippers River Bus services.

The project is being delivered by master developers Barking Riverside Limited (BRL), a joint venture between housing association L&Q and the Mayor of London. BRL are partnering with local people, stakeholders, plot developers and designers, to help create a place that is ‘Barking Made', with pride and purpose for everyone.

Stuart Harvey, TfL's Chief Capital Officer, said:

“Through fantastic collaboration with our partners working on this project, including the MSVF joint venture of Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and VolkerFitzpatrick, Network Rail and Arriva Rail London, I am pleased to confirm that the Barking Riverside Extension will open this summer. The extension will be a game changer for Barking Riverside – vastly improving transport connectivity, and accessibility and helping to realise plans to deliver much-needed housing.”

Matthew Carpen, Managing Director of Barking Riverside Limited, said:

“Today's news will be a cause of celebration for all residents, complementing the recent extension of the River Bus service and helping connect Barking Riverside to the rest of the capital.”

Paul Hutchings, Managing Director of Arriva Rail London, said:

“We are delighted to be extending the London Overground network to Barking Riverside this summer and are working hard to get the station ready for customers. The commencement of our driver training programme on this brand-new stretch of railway takes us another step closer to operating a safe, reliable, and punctual service for the local community.”

Steve Balliston, Project Director for MSVF (Morgan Sindall Infrastructure VolkerFitzpatrick) joint venture, said:

“It has been a privilege to work on the Barking Riverside Extension, and we're delighted that we have achieved this major milestone ahead of the targeted date, through our efficient, safety-conscious, and collaborative efforts. The team, along with TfL and our supply chain, has worked extremely hard to meet every challenge and deliver a project that provides better connectivity and employment benefits for the local and wider community.”

Vicky Savage, Group Director of Development and Sales at L&Q said:

“We're proud that our vision for Barking Riverside is being realised with the impressive new facilities being delivered. The new Overground Station will have a huge impact on the existing and future community, cementing the status of this development as one of London's most exciting emerging neighbourhoods.”