How Passengers Travel to the Airport
The CAA's Passenger Survey in 2006 showed how air passengers travelled to the airport. The attached chart (which includes the 2003 figures for comparison) shows that 40% of passengers travelled to or from the airport by the Docklands Light Railway with 39% travelling by taxi. Only 17% relied on private vehicles and the rest travelled by other means. Comparison with the 2003 figures shows that the opening of the DLR's City Airport Extension had a dramatic effect on travel. Indeed, from a survey among a small sample of passengers in the Autumn of 2006 - see chart (.pdf 13kb) it seems there had been a significant change in the modal split with 49% using the new DLR service and 22% black cabs. The rest relied on private transport, including 11% using minicabs and 7% chauffeur driven cars. And a smaller percentage of passengers are using the Airport's car parks - 6% now as opposed to 9% in 2003.
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 DLR Developments - map
Click the thumbnail opposite to see a map of the DLR development projects described on this page as well as the projects to upgrade existing lines to give them more capacity
DLR - City Airport Extension
THIS important extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which runs from Canning Town to the Airport and on to North Woolwich, opened for passenger services on Friday 2nd December 2005 with the first train arriving at the Airport direct from Bank in the City of London at 17.00 hours.
The new railway meets a key aspiration of the Airport to secure a fixed rail link direct to the Airport and it has been very strong in its support for the project since its inception. On 19th March 2002 the Government announced its decision to approve an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 authorizing the scheme - see press release and work started early in March 2003. For more information on the project see our DLR Extension Page
In its first year of operation the City Airport Extension carried 4.2 million passengers.
Transport for London were delighted - they had thought the new line would take three years to reach this figure.
In October 2006 the Airport station won the Community Rail Award for best ‘Local Transport Integration Project' and in April 2007 the station was runner up
in London Transport's "Rail Station of the Year" award.
Year One Monitoring Report
A small sample survey among air passengers in the Autmn of 2006 showed that 49% were using the DLR to get to the Airport. The results of the survey were confirmed by the DLR's Monitoring Report for the First Year of operation of the new line which showed that of those passengers travelling to London City Airport 49 per cent had used the new line - the highest proportion carried by any airport rail link in the UK. In total 1.8m people travelled to London City Airport during the 12-month period December 2005/December 2006. Before the extension opened only 31% of the airport's customers used public transport to make their journey.
Compiled by Innovacion, a business support consultancy, the report says that the new line has brought huge environmental benefits with around 120,000 fewer taxi rides and 288,000 fewer car journeys having been necessary, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 156 tonnes.
A scanned copy of the report London City Airport Extension - Monitoring Report -Year One (.zip 8.26mb) can be downloaded by clicking the link. Hard copies are available by emailing planning@dlr.tfl.gov.uk or telephoning 020 7987 4244
North Woolwich Research: Changes 2006 – 2008:
The influence of Docklands Light Railway
In the Summer of 2008 the DLR published the results of a study aimed at understanding the benefits which the new line has brought to the
area both in terms of the enhanced transport opportunities and those relating to possible improvements in wider aspirations and community cohesion with special attention to social and economic inclusion. Click here to see a copy of the Report (.pdf, 2.9mb).
For more information see the DLR's website.  Top of Page
Woolwich Arsenal Extension
In February 2004 the Department of Transport approved a new order to carry the new Airport Extension under the River to Woolwich Arsenal. By June 2005 DLR had signed a 30 year contract with a concessionaire to design, build and maintain the extension.
Work started in mid-June 2005 and train services on the new line began on 10th January 2009.
For more information see our DLR Extension Page
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DLR Stratford International Extension
For some time the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has been developing its Stratford International Extension project and in July 2004 the Government indicated its support for the new line running between Stratford International station (on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) and the existing DLR station at Royal Victoria near Canning Town.
The new link will use the the former North London Line between Stratford (Low Level) and Royal Victoria and a new length of line is being built around the Stratford rail lands development to the International Station. The new line will serve existing the existing stations at Stratford, West Ham, Canning Town and Royal Victoria, which are being converted to Docklands Light Railway specifications with improved accessibility and step-free access. Four new, fully accessible stations are bring built at Star Lane, Abbey Road, Stratford High Street and Stratford International to serve existing and future communities. The Docklands Light Railway station at Stratford International will provide an important interchange with Eurostar services from the CTRL station, as well as linking up to the Stratford City development and the Olympic Park.
A connection is to be provided to the existing DLR Beckton line and the DLR London City Airport Extension which is now being further extended to Woolwich Arsenal.
There are full details of the project on the DLR's website. See also this map which illustrates the project.
On 31st August 2005 the DLR submitted an application to the Department of Transport for an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 authorising the new line. At their meeting on 11th October 2005 the Consultative Committee were briefed on the project by Richard De Cani of the DLR and resolved to write to the Secretary of State in support of the project [.pdf copy of Briefing - 970kb] [.pdf copy of letter to Secretary of State - 56kb].
Following a public inquiry in March/April 2006 the Secretary of State announced his approval of the project on 25th October 2006 along with his approval of the closure of the North London Line between Stratford and North Woolwich. The report of the public inquiry is also available on the Department's website
This new line, which is thought to be good news for both the Airport's passengers and staff alike, is being funded by Transport for London and the Olympic Delivery Authority, with the total value likely to exceed £200 million.
There are three contracts. The first of these, let in January 2007, provides for:
- the construction of two new platforms on the north side of Stratford station, where North London Line national rail services will terminate. The first of these platforms was completed in June 2007
- track alignment work to prepare for the new rail link between Stratford and Stratford International; and
- the construction of the shell and foundations of the new DLR station at Stratford International.
The second contract, awarded in May 2007 to Taylor Woodrow, involves the construction of a 'flying' junction at Canning Town station to allow Beckton services to cross over the Stratford International line.
The third contract, let to Skanska in July 2007, provides for the conversion of the existing railway to DLR technology; the upgrading of existing stations to DLR standards; the construction of four new stations; and the formation of the new rail link between Stratford and Stratford International
Train services on the North London Line south of Stratford came to an end on 10th December 2006. It is possible that the Connaught Tunnel, and other parts of the line to the south of Royal Victoria, will be required for the Crossrail project.
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DLR Dagenham Dock Extension
More remote from the Airport, but offering an important link to the east, this project is in the early stage of development. If approved the planned new line would run eastwards from the existing Beckton line just north of Gallions Reach DLR with new stations to serve the
proposed housing developments in Barking Riverside and the
surrounding area.
During 2007 the DLR confirmed that Dagenham Dock would be the destination for the extension and that the preferred route would leave the existing network at Gallions Reach and run to the south of the DLR depot before descending into tunnel. The tunnel would take the the new line under the Thames Water site and the River Roding. Emerging to the east of the River Roding the new line would continue on a viaduct through Barking Riverside. East of Barking Riverside the new line will cross over the existing rail corridor before terminating alongside the existing rail station at Dagenham Dock. [DLR Update - December 2007- .pdf 1.2mb]
The DLR expected to obtain authorisation for the new line during 2008/2009. If approved they expected work to start work on the project in 2013 with the line opening in 2017. However, in November 2008 the new mayor of London, said that funding had yet to be identified to implement the project. It was unclear whether the Barking Riverside housing development was a Government priority to 2018.
For more details visit the DLR's website
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Road Access
UNTIL the DLR's fixed rail link was completed most people
arriving at or leaving the Airport did so by road and many continue to do so. A small sample survey among air passengers in the Autumn of 2006 showed that about half were using the roads to get to the Airport, including 22% by black cabs, 11% by minicabs, 7% by chauffeur driven car and 11% by private or rented vehicles
When the Airport
opened in 1987 access by road was perceived to be poor. The opening
in 1993 of the Limehouse Link and the other Docklands strategic highways
transformed the position and there is now a very good route from central
London to the Airport via Tower Hill, The Highway, Limehouse Link, Aspen
Way, Lower Lea crossing, North Woolwich Road and Hartman Road - see route map (51k). Passenger
surveys show that the majority have an origin or destination in central
London or the Docklands - see O&D chart -but
there is also good access from the M11 and the North Circular Road (A406)
via the new Docklands Highways (Royal Docks Road, Royal Albert Way and
the Connaught Crossing). Routes to the Airport are generally well signposted. Top of Page
The A13 Improvements
THE Docklands Highways were built principally
to serve new developments south of the A13. However, plans to improve
the A13 to cope better with through traffic, especially in the peak
hours, did not keep pace and many drivers found it more convenient to
use the Docklands Highways even though the journey was longer. This
gave rise to congestion which affected journey times to/from the Airport
at peak times. The A13 improvements were finally launched as a Design
Build Finance Operate (DBFO) scheme using private finance. The £200
million contract for this was awarded to RMS (A13) plc on 12th April
2000. The 30 year contract provided for the operation and maintenance
of 13 miles of of the A13 stretching from the City to Wennington and
included £146 million to be spent on improvements as follows:
- the A13 Ironbridge to Canning Town
Improvement - widening and an additional flyover and
completing the East India Dock Link Tunnel
- the A13/A112 Prince Regent Lane Improvement
- an underpass, slip roads and new junction.
- the A13/A117 Woolwich Manor Way Improvement
- replacing the existing flyover with a dual three-lane road flyover;
- the A13 Movers Lane Improvement
- a new dual three-lane underpass
- replacing the Roding Bridge
(south)
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Work on the improvements was completed in the first half of 2005 and since then traffic congestion on the Docklands Highways has eased considerably (see map Docklands highways map 148k)
For more information on the A13 project visit the
Transport for London website.
There has long been a separate scheme to build a flyover
to link the A406 (North Circular Road) to Royal Docks Road over the
present (already grade separated) junction of these roads with the A13
but little progress has been made. It is likely this will now
be built as part of the proposed new Thames Gateway Bridge
project.
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Olympic Road Network
On 11th December 2008 the Department for Transport published for consultation details of the roads it proposes to include in the Olympic Route Network (ORN). Once it is approved the network will be formally designated by the Secretary of State for Transport by order under the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006. The proposed network includes a number of roads in the vicinity of the Airport as well as roads used by staff and passengers in gaining access to the Airport.
For more information see the press release issued by the Department and there is full information about the proposals, including the consultation paper, on the Department’s website.
The Committee commented on the proposals on 19th March 2009
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Riverbus (1988/93)
In its early days, when access for air passengers to and from Central London was perceived to be poor, the Airport arranged a Riverbus service using 51 seat waterjet powered catamarans to carry airport users from Charing Cross via Swan Lane pier at London Bridge to City Pier on the Thames adjacent to the old western entrance to the the Royal Victoria Dock. From there it was a short bus ride to the Airportabout a mile to the west. The airport route was additional to a wider riverbus service for commuters supported by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) and other bodies including the developers of Canary Wharf.
The service opened in mid-1988 and continued until August 1993 when, in spite of the support received from the LDDC, the Airport and other bodies, financial problems finally caught up with the operator and the service came to an end.
The service, which carried passegers to and from Charing Cross in about 35 minutes, was very popular with its users. Initially it operated hourly in each direction but in the early 1990s a more frequent service was introduced.
From Ben Mann, whose Dad worked on the River Buses, we understand
the boat which provided the Airport service was called "Le Premier". It was operated by a crew of 4 on a shift system. It was the only boat equipped with radar at the time. From Ben we learn that three of the riverbuses are now being used by a hotel in Thailand - see picture.
For more on the Riverbus visit the LDDC History Pages. See also this Riverbus video clip showing the Riverbus taken from the Airport's 2001 Delivering the Vision presentation. It is a .wmv file (920kb and requires a Windows Media Player
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Taxis
PRIOR to the opening of the DLR rail link about 47% of the Airport's passengers used taxis to
get to and from the Airport -see chart. With the opening of the DLR this percentage was reduced. In a small sample survey taken in in the Aurmn of 2006 the percentage was halved
The Airport's Byelaws allow only taxis licensed under Section
6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1969. Over 400 taxis come
to the Airport each morning for arriving passengers. In order to attract
taxis when supply is low an orange beacon signals to passing taxis on
the main road. The beacon is operated from the Customer Service Centre
at the Airport. There is a taxi desk in the Terminal for bookings, accounts
and credit facilities. The Airport maintains a close liaison with the
taxi trade by employing a licensed taxi-cab driver as a taxi co-ordinator.
The aim is to ensure that taxis are always available and that the Airport
understands the drivers' needs.
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 Private Cars
PRIOR to the opening of the DLR rail link about a quarter of passengers and more
than 60% of the staff travel to the Airport by car. Figures for staff are not yet avavailable but since the opening of the DLR it seems the use of private cars by air passengers has fallen to about 16%, including 7% using chauffeur drive cars.
The Airport provides
900 car parking spaces. The business or short stay car park is located
closest to the terminal building - 164 places are provided here in addition
to 12 spaces for disabled parking and 14 spaces for the valet parking
service. The main car park contains 611 spaces. At peak times the main
car park can be 85 – 95% full. At the eastern end of the main
car park, an area is marked off for staff car parking. On a typical
day between 180 and 200 members of staff park their cars here.
The car parks were resurfaced in August 1998 and the
lighting was upgraded. A covered walkway along the dock edge was completed
in September 1999.
For more information about the Airport's car parking
arrangements and charges visit the Airport's
website. The Airport operates a free Valet
Parking scheme for users of the short term car park.
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 Streetcar
The Streetcar car scheme was ontoruduced at the Airport in August 2008. The Streetcar car club gives its members all the convenience of owning their own car, but without the cost and hassle. Booked online or by phone members can reserve a car for just 30 minutes or as long as six months. The car can then be left at over 500 locations all over London, all within a five to ten minute walk of eachother. Visit www.streetcar.co.uk to join the club and for more information.
The key benefits of car clubs are the reduction of traffic congestion, on and off-street parking pressure and CO2 and particle pollution. Top of Page
Motorcycle & Cycle
The Airport provides secure parking facilities for
passengers and staff choosing to use a motorbike to access the Airport.
For staff who cycle to work, shower and changing facilities are also
available.
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Pedestrians
There is a public footpath linking the Airport to Prince Regent Station
DLR station.
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Public Transport Strategy
PRIOR to the opening of the DLR rail link only about a quarter of Airport
passengers - and a similar percentage of staff - use the bus and rail
services and the Airport generates upwards of 2 million car/taxi journeys
per year. With the number of Airport passengers set to double over the
next six years - see passenger forecast chart (9kb)
- this number will go on rising and the Airport is, therefore, working
with other agencies to secure better public transport facilities for
passengers and staff and so reduce dependence on the private car.
The focus for this work is the Airport
Transport Forum and the Airport Surface Access Strategy
(ASAS).
For more information on how currently
passengers and staff get to the Airport, and from where, see the Statistics
Page.
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 Bus Services
PRIOR to the opening of the DLR rail link the Airport's Shuttle Bus services were used by 21%
of passengers. They ran every 5 minutes to the Jubilee line/DLR/Silverlink
Metro interchange at Canning Town and every 10
minutes to Canary Wharf (linking to the DLR) and Liverpool Street station
linking to the London Underground and main railway services -
see Shuttle Bus map (30kb). The Airport
encouraged staff to travel to work on public transport and allowed all
Airport staff to travel on its shuttle bus services free of charge.
In 2003 the number of staff journeys on the shuttle buses averaged between
two and three thousand per month. By the year-end, there had been almost
34,000 staff journeys in total.
With the opening of the new railway the Airport stopped operating the Canning Town
shuttle bus service on 11th December 2005 and the service to Liverpool Street station
via Canary Wharf stopped operating on Friday 3rd March 2006.
Following the opening of the new railway the following changes in bus services were introduced on 17th December 2005:
-
Route 69 - which used to run from Walthamstow to the Airport via Stratford, Plaistow and Canning Town, now serves as a feeder service into Canning Town for the DLR and no longer operate beyond Canning Town.
-
Route 473 - which runs from Stratford to North Woolwich via Plaistow and the Airport continues to operate without change.
-
Route 474 – which used to run from Beckton to Canning Town via North Woolwich and Silvertown (passing but not entering the Airport), now directly serve the Airport and has been extended from Beckton northwards via East Ham to Manor Park. This service starts at 0400hrs each day.
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Jubilee Line Extension
TRANSPORT links to the Airport were greatly enhanced
by the opening of the Jubilee Line Extension. The extended Jubilee Line
offers improved transport options for Airport passengers, providing
a quick and convenient route to the Airport via Canning Town. To coincide with the opening of the new underground service,
the Airport opened its own high frequency shuttle bus service between the
Airport and the Canning Town Interchange only 5 minutes away. The new service made it possible to travel between Westminster or Waterloo and the Airport
in only 25 minutes, Green Park in 30 minutes and to Bond Street in less
than 40 minutes - far quicker than to any other airport.
Following the opening of the DLR extension to the Airport and North Woolwich in December 2005 Airport passengers using the Jubilee Line now transfer at Canning Town to the new DLR service and the shuttle buses no longer operate.
Canning Town is now an important transport hub for
the Airport, serving not only the Jubilee Line but also the Docklands
Light Railway (DLR) to Bank. It also incorporates a major bus interchange.
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 North
London Line - Silverlink Metro
Until December 2006 the North London Line (NLL) ran from North Woolwich
to Richmond in west London via Stratford, Highbury & Islington,
Camden Road, Hampstead and Willesden Junction. Services on the line
were operated by Silverlink Metro. Silvertown Station
was about 6 minutes walk from the Airport but Silverlink services called
also at the Canning Town Interchange where passengers could pick up the DLR service to the Airport. The service was not much used by Airport passengers
or staff and there had long been concern among local people about the
frequency/reliability of the service south of Stratford.
Following the approval of the DLR's Stratford International
Extension, the that part of the North London Line between Stratford and North Woolwich closed on 10th December 2006 and part of it (between Custon House and Stratford) was transferred to the DLR The rest of the line south of Stratford may be required for the Abbey Wood branch of proposed
Crossrail project
- it is suggested that in the Royal
Docks this branch should follow the route of the NLL
from Custom House via the Connaught Tunnel to the south side of
the Docks.
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Thames Gateway Transit 
Transport for London (TfL) have two such schemes of interest to the
Airport. Together they are know as the Thames Gateway Transit
(a) East London Transit
Using state of the art buses or trolley
buses with their own road space, or with priority over other traffic,
this project would link the main town centres in Barking, Ilford and
Romford and also connect National Rail, Underground and DLR stations.
There is the prospect the new system will in due course include a link between Barking
and the DLR at Gallions Reach and the plans in a TfL 2001 consultation paper on the project show
a possible onward link to the Airport.
At the time of the 2001 consultation airport staff surveys showed that slightly
more than half of those employed at the Airport came to work by car
and that a large percentage live to the east of the Airport from where
public transport links to the Airport are generally poor. For this reason
the Consultative Committee, following its January 2002 meeting, told
the Mayor they strongly support the project which should include the
suggested link from Gallions Reach via North Woolwich and Silvertown to the
Airport.
The project is to be implemented in to phases:
Phase One will run from Ilford to Dagenham Dock via Barking town centre and the Thames View Estate. Detailed design is underway. Formal consultation is planned for early 2006 with construction starting early in 2007 with completion later that year. The new route is expected to carry four million passengers in the first year of operation.
Phase Two will run from Barking to Gallions Reach. Phase Two is expected to be operational by 2012, providing a link to the Greenwich Waterfront Transit scheme via the Thames Gateway Bridge. TfL ran a consultation exercise on the route of Phase Two in mid-November 2005
(b) Greenwich Waterfront Transit
This project for a segregated busway
was being developed in phases:
Phase One: between Abbey Wood Station, Thamesmead Town Centre and Woolwich
Ferry Roundabout
Phase Two: from Woolwich Ferry Roundabout to North Greenwich Station
Phase Three: from North Greenwich Station to Greenwich Town Centre
There is more information about the GWT project, and a map,
on TfL's Website
The proposed service was be designed
to integrate with train, underground and DLR networks while local bus
services would be revised to fit in with the transit scheme. Important
to the Airport would be an interchange with the proposed DLR Station
at Woolwich Arsenal. This would put the Airport no more than one interchange
away from all stops on the Transit. It was thus very important that the
interchange between the two schemes was very good and this was an important
factor in the consideration of alternative alignments for the Transit
through Woolwich Town Centre
On 13 September 2005, the London Borough of Greenwich endorsed TfL's recommendation for a route in West Thamesmead via Western Way and Pettman Crescent. Their decision protects this section of the GWT route as part of local planning policy.
It was proposed that the East London and Greenwich Waterfront
schemes should be linked via the Thames Gateway Bridge .However it Novembr 2008 it was announced by the new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, that this has now been abondoned.
In the same announcement the new Mayor said that at the completion of phases ELT 1a and ELT 1b of the East London Transit , and Phase GWT1 of the Greenwich Waterfront Transit, no other further funds would be allocated to these projects. TfL would undertake a wider review as part of the sub regional analysis working with Boroughs to assess the potential for further transit routes and opportunities for external funding.
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Crossrail
ALSO of importance to the Airport is the Crossrail
project, a new railway lilne running from Maidenhead in the
west through Paddington, Liverpool Street and on to Shenfield via Stratford
and Abbey Wood via the Isle of Dogs (Canary Wharf) in the east. The Abbey Wood
Branch would run in tunnel from the Isle of Dogs to the Royal Docks
where it will surface to the west of Custom House. The present
station at Custom House would be rebuilt. The line would then
follow the route of the North London Line via the Connaught Tunnel (which
would be refurbished) to just west of the current North Woolwich
station where it would enter a new tunnel under the Thames to join the
North Kent line just east of Plumstead station. Silvertown and North
Woolwich stations would close.
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Hybrid Bill
On 22 February 2005 the Secretary of State for for
Transport announced in a press
release that he had introduced the required hybrid Bill in Parliament. The Bill was subsequently carried over for consideration by the new Parliment elected in May 2005.
A copy of the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Notes can be found on
the UK
Parliament’s Website and on the DfT's website there is a note on the hybrid bill process to which the Bill will be subject.
The Crossrail Bill received its Second Reading in the House of Commons on
19 July 2005. In doing so, the House approved the principle of the project.
The Bill has since been under consideration by a Select Committee which considered
the many petitions against the Bill. The Select Comittee completed its work on 16 October 2007 and reported
the Bill. The Committee has also published a formal ‘Special Report’, reporting on its
consideration of the Bill and the petitions against it - a copy of the report can can be seen on Parliament's website.
The Crossrail Bill completed its Report/Third Reading stage in the House of Commons on
13 December 2007, and was introduced into the House of Lords on Friday 14 December.
A fresh petitioning period was thus triggered, and those
directly affected by the Crossrail proposals were given a further opportunity again to petition against
them. The petitioning period set by the House of Lords started on 8 January 2008
and ended on 30 January 2008. For more infomation see Crossrail Bulletin 11 (.pdf, 27kb) , Crossrail Bulletin 12 (.pdf, 28kb) and Crossrail Bulletin 13 (.pdf, 50kb)
The Crossrail Bill finally received the Royal Assent in July 2008 and the way is clear for the construction of the railway. For more details see the Department for Transport's press release issued on 23rd July 2008.
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Airport Objection
Having fought long and hard to get the Abbey Wood branch routed through the Royal Docks it was galling that the Airport had to petition against the Crossrail Bill.
According to a report to the April 2005 Consultative Committee this is because "the promoters of the scheme have not so far seen fit to enter into a proper dialogue with the Airport on some serious issues.
Notices served by Crossrail on the Airport are based on Ordnance Survey plans which are out of date and do not reflect the reality of the built environment on the ground. In particular the plans do not recognise the existence and operation of the London City Airport Jet Centre, and as published, could seriously damage that facility." The report concludes
"Whilst the Airport will continue in its efforts to seek appropriate consultation with the Crossrail promoters, the Airport feels it presently has little choice but to prepare in parallel with this process a legal petition of objection". At its meeting in April 2005 the Consultative Committee agreed to write to Crossrail
expressing the Committee's concerns about the impact of the project on the Airport's Jet Centre.
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Funding Approved
On 5th October 2007 the Government confirmed that the Crossrail project has the funding to go ahead. For more details see Crossrail Project Bulletin 10 (33kb) The expected cost of up to £16bn will be met by Government, businesses and farepayers. The Government will contribute £5bn
On 27th November in a statement the Secretary for Transport
outlined the agreements between DfT and TfL which underpin the October 2007 announcement on the funding of Crossrail. The statement referred also to the restructuring of the Crossrail delivery company. It will become a 100% owned TfL subsidiary, but one with the level of autonomy necessary if it is to focus solely on the delivery of the Crossrail project, in line with the Sponsors' Requirements. The successful delivery of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link demonstrated the importance of this single focus. Importantly, the new Crossrail Board will include a majority of non-executive directors, bringing with them added experience of how best to manage risk on projects of this scale.
Top of Page Airport Link For cost reasons, and because there is insufficient space to provide a straight platform, the local proposal for a centrally placed station in the Royals has not been adopted. This emphasises the need for good surface connections from the new Custom House Station to and from the London City Airport and other major developments in the Royal Docks. Crossrail say a group dealing with the integration of Crossrail services with local bus services at each of the proposed stations. They add that the design of the new station at Custom House would allow for interchange with buses that could include a direct bus service to London City Airport.
At a meeting of the Airport's Transport Forum on 28th September 2004 the representative of the London Borough of Newham said the Council would be pressing for the station at Custom House to be located as far to the east as possible where it could be linked with the existing bus station at Prince Regent Lane.
More information
There is more information about the Crossrail project
(and maps) on Crossrail's website.
See also the Airport's
website.
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Thames Gateway River Crossings
The Thames Gateway River Crossings are part of a package
of transport improvements in East London planned by Transport for
London. The crossings are are of obvious importance to the Airport
and those of its passengers travelling to and from points south of the
River. The Crossings are detailed in the Mayor's London Transport Strategy
as follows:
Woolwich Rail Crossing
This was conceived either as an extension
of the North London Line or of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
The latter option was finally chosen. An order under the Transport and
Works Act 1992 authorising a DLR tunnel link between North Woolwich
and Woolwich Arsenal was submited to a pubic inquiry early in 2003 and
on 26th February 2004 the Department for Transport announced its approval.
DLR has since selected
a concessionaire to design, build and maintain the extension and work has started. The current
programme assumes that construction will be completed in 2009.
For more information see our DLR
page for more information
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Thames Gateway Bridge (TGB)
The former Mayor of London and Transport, Ken Lingstone, for London (TfL) believed that this Bridge was a vital investment for the Thames Gateway. It would, he thought, support the ongoing regeneration of the area, particularly in the neighbouring boroughs of Greenwich and Newham, and will improve accessibility to and within the Thames Gateway area, by:
* reducing journey times and significantly increasing the job and residential catchments within a convenient travelling time.
* encouraging increased investment in the area both in terms of businesses and housing. Forecasts indicate the Bridge will potentially create 24,800 more jobs and 57,000 additional residents.
The scheme would have provided a four-lane
dual-carriageway road for general highway traffic between the A13/A406
junction at Beckton and the A206 in Thamesmead. The principal element
of the scheme was the bridge across the River Thames which
would have been built within the constraints of both shipping on the River
Thames and aircraft movements to and from London City Airport. There
would also be a number of other smaller bridges together with the approach
viaducts to Thames Gateway Bridge.
 In
addition to the four lanes for general traffic there would have been two segregated
lanes for public transport across the Thames Gateway Bridge (on the
western side) and on sections of the approach roads to the north and
south. These would have allowed for connections to existing and proposed public
transport networks (particularly the Greenwich Waterfront Transit and
the East London Transit Schemes).
At the northern end of the scheme the
new road would have passed over the existing A406/A13/A1020 junction and connected
to the A406 just to the north. Slip roads would have connected to the existing
junction. A junction would have been provided at Winsor Terrace in Beckton
to provide direct access to the Royal Docks. .
In January 2004 the bridge was offered
financial backing by the Department of Transport. The Department's
Press
Release said "the £450 million development and construction
cost of the bridge would be met jointly through TfL, a toll on cars
and commercial vehicles using the bridge and also by up to £200
million of Government PFI credits. The bridge would be constructed and
operated by a private sector company in partnership with TfL, using
a PFI structure."
The tolls charged for the use of the
bridge would be set at levels to "enable control of traffic using
the Thames Gateway Bridge and to generate revenue to help pay for the
scheme." The tolling strategy would be based on the following elements.
At its meeting on 24 March 2004, the
TfL Board decided to apply for powers to build the bridge. On 22nd July
2004 an application for planning permission was submitted to the London
Boroughs of Newham and Greenwich.
Public Inquiry
At a meeting on 15th December Newham
Council’s Development Control and Licensing Committee agreed they
were “minded” to grant planning permission and referred
the matter to the Mayor of London. The decision of the Planning Board
of the London Borough of Greenwich, which met the previous evening,
was similar. However on 19th January 2005 the application was
called-in by the Secretaries of State because they considered the applications
"may conflict with national and regional policies on important
matters" - see Secretary of State's
letter [.pdf - 204kb] The decision on the application became
therefore a matter for the Government following a pubic inquiry which started on 7th June 2005 and closed on 3rd May 2006.
The report of the Inspector at the inquiry was submitted on 17th November 2006 but it was not until 25th July 2007 that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced that the public inquiry into the proposed new road was to be re-opened. Many months passed and a date for the resumed inquiry was not announced. [Decision Letter][Inquiry Report -.pdf 5.15mb][Statement by Mayor of London][TfL Statement]
However, in November 2008 the new mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced that given the pressures on TfL funding and concerns over local traffic impacts, TfL would no longer be pursuing the proposed TGB project. "It has become clear to me" said the mayor, " that it is highly unlikely the scheme will truly be acceptable to all those affected and it is right that the £90m we are currently spending on it be re-directed". He went on: “I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to look again at alternative options for a much needed new east London river crossing, including a crossing at Silvertown that would be integrated with the Blackwall tunnel. This would be progressed as part of a wider study to assess, with the boroughs, London Development Agency and Greater London Authority, the long-term transport and land use needs of the London Thames Gateway".
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Silvertown Link
This would be a crossing, probably a tunnel, between North
Greenwich and Silvertown landing at Thames Wharf. The aim is to ease
traffic congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel.
Progress is slow. A note received from Transport for London in March 2007 says:
"We are awaiting a decision on the Thames Gateway Bridge (TGB), and although there is no time limit on the Secretary of State to make a decision following receipt of the Inspector's report on the Bridge , we are hopeful that this decision will be made soon.
"Once the implications of the Secretary of State's decision have been established, and we have clarity on resourcing requirements arising from this, we will be in a position to consider how to progress planning work on Silvertown. Experiences and lessons learned from the TGB project will allow us to progress investigations into a Silvertown Link as efficiently as possible.
"The Silvertown scheme has been included indicatively in the period 2017-2022 in the draft Further Alterations to the London Plan (see Mayor's website). Some initial work was carried out last year on identifying issues that would need to be addressed and the timing that might emerge from this. This confirmed that, so long as the necessary approvals and funding are secured, the scheme could be delivered in the early part of this period."
No more has been heard but when he abondoned the Thames Gateway Bridge in November the new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said that he had "asked Transport for London (TfL) to look again at alternative options for a much needed new east London river crossing, including a crossing at Silvertown that would be integrated with the Blackwall tunnel. This would be progressed as part of a wider study to assess, with the boroughs, London Development Agency and Greater London Authority, the long-term transport and land use needs of the London Thames Gateway"
For more detailed information about these crossings
visit TfL's
website
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Airport Transport Forum
IN line with Government policy the Airport has established
an Air Transport Forum (ATF). This includes representatives of the Airport,
the local authorities, regional planning bodies, transport operators,
infrastructure providers, businesses and other interested bodies For
more detailed information on the work of the ATF visit the Airport
Transport Forum Page.
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 Airport
Surface Access Strategy
THE Airport's first Surface Access Strategy was drawn
up in 2000. By 2004 it was in many respects out of date and at
the meeting of the Airport Transport Forum held on 10th December 2003
the Airport announced it was to be reviewed. The Forum set up a Working
Group to help with this.
The first draft of the new ASAS was unveiled at the
ATF meeting on 28th September 2004. Those interested were invited to
submit comments, opinions and additions by the end of November 2004
and, having considered the comments received, the Airport unveiled the
new Strategy in February 2005.
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Travel Plan
FOR many years the Airport has pursued a policy framework for surface transport covering both passengers and those working at the Airport. The original aims of the policies, which are still valid today, are:
- to reduce reliance on the car through the reduction in the length and number of motor journeys and in particular those undertaken in single occupancy vehicles.
- to promote the use of alternative means of travel which are more suitable and environmentally acceptable.
- to reduce emissions and encourage energy efficient vehicles within the company fleet.
- encourage work practices which reduce the need to travel
These objectives form the basis for the draft of the Airport's most recent Travel Plan (.pdf 2.9mb) prepared by its consultants in July 2007and updated in November that year. The plan was submitted as a supporting document with the Airport's interim planning application. At Appendix A to the draft are the results of the most recent (2005) staff travel survey
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London TravelWatch
UNTIL March 2005 the Consultative Committee was represented on the London Airports Access Forum (LAAF) of the London Transport Users Committee
(LTUC) - now known as London TravelWatch - which is the statutory watchdog protecting, promoting and speaking
for the interests of the non-freight users of transport provided, procured
or licensed by Transport for London. For more
information on LTUC visit their website.
In February 2002 London TravelWatch published its report Reaching
the Skies (.pdf 366k). This represents London TravelWatch's manifesto for surface access
to airports. It covers general principles and aspirations that apply
to all airports – in a way, a good practice guide but coming from the
user perspective – as well as their specific aspirations for each airport,
including London City.
On 18th June 2002 the LAAF held its meeting at London
City Airport. Members travelled to the Airport by a variety of routes
and part of the meeting was taken up with reports of their experiences.
These were shared with the Airport who undertook to see how to the problems
mentioned might be addressed - see the minutes of the meeting (.pdf 51k).
The LAAF met for the last time at London City Airport on
23rd March 2005. Members received a presentation by the Airport (.pdf - 1.6 mb) on its future dvelopment and on its new Surface Access Strategy.
Following a reorganisation within London TravelWatch, the Forum's functions will henceforward be the responsibility of their Strategy and Integration SubCommittee which
in recognition of the importance of airport access
issues will follow LAAF practice and hold some of its meetings at airports.
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Maps and Charts
How to get to London City Airport
by Road (1) - 67k
How to get to London City Airport by Road (2)
- 51k
Public Transport Links - 125k
Map Showing DLR Developments
Docklands Highways -updated 2006 - 148k
Passengers - surface origin/destination
- 8k
Passengers - Surface Access Modes 2000 and 2003
- 10k
Passengers - Suface Access Modes Autumn 2006 - .pdf.13k
Staff Travel to Work - 7k
Forecast Growth in Passengers - 4k
More Information
There is background information on the DLR, the Jubilee
Line, the Docklands Highways and local transport issues in the LDDC's
1997 monograph "Starting
from Scratch"
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