Policy information sourced from Newham Local Plan 2018

INF1 - Strategic Transport

Proposals that address the following strategic principles, spatial strategy and design and technical criteria will be supported:

  • Strategic Principles and Spatial Strategy:
    • Major physical barriers to movement will be overcome without having an unacceptable impact on residents, development/regeneration potential or existing service users; and
    • Secure investment in, and the ongoing safe and viable operation of strategic transport networks that will lever investment and regeneration into Newham and help achieve modal shift to sustainable transport, further integrating the Borough with the rest of London;

This includes but is not limited to the following interventions that benefit connectivity, accessibility, efficiency and/or journey time reliability:

  • Rail
    • Elizabeth Line service including stations at Stratford, Maryland, Forest Gate, Manor Park and Custom House (T1), plus enhancements to meet growth demands and potential for Crossrail 2 Eastern Branch;
    • International trains calling at Stratford International station and depending on capacity, linkages from Stratford (T2) to the possible Crossrail 2;
    • Increased capacity and service enhancements on main line railway services serving the Borough, notably between the Upper Lee Valley and Stratford (T3);
    • Increased capacity and extensions to the network on the orbital rail system (London Overground) (T4);
    • Station capacity enhancement notably at Stratford and West Ham, and stepfree access at all stations in the Borough – particularly East Ham, Plaistow and Upton Park (T5);
    • Enhancements to the DLR network and further extensions including to Barking and Thamesmead, new stations at Beckton Riverside and Thames Wharf (T6) and an expanded depot at Beckton Riverside;
    • Measures to improve local usage of the cable car as a transport link (T7);
  • Bus
    • Enhanced bus links from the Royal Docks across the River Roding and East London Transit from Beckton to Barking Riverside (T8);
    • Other Strategic Bus Network enhancements including interchange and new service infrastructure particularly along Key Corridors and to Strategic Sites, improved north-south connectivity, and measures to protect journey time reliability (T9);
  • Cycle and pedestrian
    • Extensions and upgrading of the Strategic Cycle Network and other key cycling routes including Cycle Superhighways and Quietways, notably support for enhanced access to and increased use of the Greenway (T10) and an enhanced walking and cycling network in the Royal Docks, including North Woolwich Road and to and along the river and dock edges;
    • High quality modal interchange facilities for cyclists, including cycle hire facilities, notably in the Royal Docks, Stratford, Forest Gate and Manor Park;
    • Extensions to the strategic footpath walking network including the Leaway and Roding Valley walkways and associated inter-borough/cross river connections (T11);
  • Road/bridges/tunnels
    • Re-modelling of the Stratford Gyratory and other Key Corridor improvements, including public realm enhancements, particularly in the Royal Docks along North Woolwich Road from Tidal Basin to North Woolwich Roundabout, and longer term, Woolwich Manor Way from North Woolwich to Albert Island (T12);
    • River crossings (as safeguarded or revised), delivered as part of a package(T13) to improve accessibility, connectivity and resilience of sub-regional transport networks;
  • Navigation
    • Re-activation, relocation, and/or consolidation of Thameside West safeguarded wharves, notably at Peruvian Wharf (T14a) and Royal Primrose Wharf (T14b), subject to Policy J2;
    • A strategic boatyard at Albert Island supporting passenger movement on the Blue Ribbon Network (T15);
    • Other proposals to encourage the improvement and use of Newham’s navigable waterway network including freight transfer facilities, locks and winding holes, passenger and leisure transport facilities, piers and moorings in appropriate locations (T16);
  • Air
    • Measures to support the optimisation of airport capacity, including access (potentially via a new Elizabeth Line station) and other freight and passenger facilities (T17); and
  • Operational safeguarding
    • Safeguarding the role and operational function of the following transport infrastructure as indicated on the Policies Map as part of the strategic transport network unless agreed to be surplus to requirements of the relevant operators/ strategic authorities:-
      • Radar stations and sightlines, (T18);
      • Rail, (including DLR and Tube, (T5)) bus and cable car (T7), station lines and depots (T20, LILs & SIL);
      • Protected mooring points and public river access points (T19);
      • safeguarded wharves and their access requirements (T14a/b); and
      • London City Airport (via its Airport Safeguarding Area (T17a) and Public Safety Zone (T17b).

Where appropriate, these alignments, designations and other transport proposals are included on the Policies Map.

  • Design and technical criteria:
    • Proposals for strategic transport projects should demonstrate, where relevant through options appraisal, that the favoured scheme, including mitigation measures where necessary, is the most appropriate in terms of minimising negative social, economic, spatial and environmental impacts; costs; and technical feasibility; and
    • All development should ensure that it is compatible with the spatial and environmental impacts of the ongoing viable operation of transport infrastructure in line with policies SP2, SP3 and SP8. This includes the requirement that uses including residential, which draw in large numbers of people to the Public Safety Zone compared with the present situation, should be avoided in line with policies SP9 and SP2 and that the requirements of safeguarded alignments are complied with, in liaison with TfL.

For more information please see the Local Plan 2018