London Underground Tube map: The towns that could be added to the Elizabeth line as new giant loop through London, Essex and Kent is proposed
The proposed new extension would pass through parts of South and East London
BY CALLUM MARIUS
11:50, 24 FEB 2023
UPDATED 12:58, 24 FEB 2023
Bankrupt Thurrock Council in Essex is not letting its financial problems get in the way of its ambition to regenerate its local area, which borders East London, through massive improvements of its transport infrastructure. In documents released ahead of a planning, transport and regeneration committee meeting taking place on February 28, it lays out plans for a gigantic expansion of the rail network through its borough, which would have a huge impact on East and South London.
The proposal, which is part of its Vision 2050 local transport plan, would see the current Elizabeth line service from Romford take over the Overground branch to Emerson Park and Upminster, then join c2c services continuing via Chafford Hundred Lakeside to Tilbury. It would then head under a new tunnel beneath the Thames to Gravesend, connecting with the reintroduced Eurostar at Ebbsfleet International/Northfleet.
Finally, it would follow Thameslink services for a stretch through Bluewater, Dartford, Slade Green, Erith and Belvedere to the current Elizabeth line terminus at Abbey Wood. This amounts to an extension of around 27 to 30 miles depending on the final position of the additional Thames crossing.
This giant loop would also stop at a new station in the Thurrock area, and the new Thames rail crossing which it is proposed to use would also facilitate High Speed services to London via the Southeastern High Speed route according to the documents. This would mean 140mph Javelin trains running from St Pancras International and Stratford International to Southend/Shoeburyness, using the current route to Gravesend, crossing the Thames to East Tilbury and following c2c rail services.
The plans are just an indicative 'framework' for now, but the council says: "[This would be] a transformation of Thurrock’s railways to support the delivery of new homes and jobs, improve public transport accessibility and realise the borough’s full potential as an important economic hub at the heart of the Thames Estuary." It adds "our vision is to realise the full potential of the existing lines in the short and medium-term through double-tracking, new and improved stations, longer trains, new junctions and signalling - and to add capacity through new rail lines in the long term," by "increasing/releasing capacity on commuter routes through a southern Crossrail extension via Gravesend-Tilbury, a northern Crossrail/London Overground extension via Upminster/Romford and an Overground extension via Dagenham Dock." All of these would require the support of City Hall, TfL and the Westminster government to get off the ground.
Also in the plan is a new bus rapid transit system, similar to the 'Fastrack' group of routes which use special busways in Kent, which would run from Dagenham Dock station in East London, through Havering to Thurrock. This bus rapid transit scheme is favoured over the Kenex tram plan which proposes to introduce cross-river trams to Thurrock, although the council accepts that most popular routes could be converted.
Conservative-run Thurrock Council currently has a debt of £1.5billion, rendering it effectively bankrupt. It has asked the Treasury for a loan of £182.5million to help it through this financial year, with plans to hike council tax for residents there by over nine per cent. Councillors there recently expressed their disapproval over the Lower Thames Crossing scheme to build a new road to decongest the Dartford Crossing
