Huge London transport project gets green light as Rachel Reeves backs £1.7bn DLR extension to Thamesmead

At a glance

• The Government is expected to approve the £1.7bn DLR extension to Thamesmead in the Budget

• Construction will start in 2027 and the link will open in 2032, with new stations on either side of the River Thames

• The project will unlock up to 25,000 homes and 10,000 jobs but may mean the Bakerloo line extension and West London Orbital rail link remain on the back burner

The long-awaited £1.7bn extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead is expected to be given the green light in the Budget in a massive boost to south-east London, The Standard has been told.