This week, the Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz OBE was joined by residents from Carpenters Estate and project partners to mark the start of construction works for a new entrance to Stratford Station.

The £8.4 million project is a joint initiative between Newham Council, Transport for London (TfL), who will oversee construction, with the GLA and London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) will improve access and connections to the station and the surrounding area for residents and visitors to the area.

The new entrance will provide access to the southern concourse next to the Jubilee Line. This will create an additional entrance to the station alongside the existing ones to Westfield Stratford City and the bus station and Stratford Centre.

For the first time, this will provide a direct entrance and exit to Gibbins Road in Carpenter’s Estate and help improve perceptions of safety and security. It will help to reduce walking time by up to 20 minutes for people entering from Carpenters Estate and avoid the existing narrow overbridge at Jupp Road. New cycling spaces and improved CCTV coverage will also be built along with space for new retail kiosks.

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz, said: “The start of work to create a new entrance at Carpenter’s Estate is an important milestone in our efforts to create the best vision for the residents and future of the Carpenters Estate. This new entrance alongside other substantial community-facing improvements work will ensure we are unlocking more access and opportunities as part of our long-term plans for the creation of a vibrant and beautiful neighbourhood for the local community.”

Peter Maxwell, Director of Design at LLDC, said: “This is a vitally important project for the local area. It will make a significant improvement for residents living on the Carpenters Estate and supports the wider area regeneration by providing improved access to the station for visitors to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”

David Rowe, Director of Investment Delivery Planning at TFL, said: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with London Legacy Development Corporation and the London Borough of Newham to deliver the new entrance and enhanced streetscape. The new entrance will make a huge difference to the local residents, improving access to the station and reducing journey times by nearly 20 minutes.”

Designed by Fereday Pollard Architects and Hawkins\Brown, the construction work will be carried by by Taylor Wimpey BAM Nuttall (TWBN) with an estimated completion date of early 2024.

The project will see the transformation of the external space from an ad hoc car park into a vibrant public realm with new planting that is integrated with the station buildings and connecting with existing pedestrian and cycle routes.

Newham Council will contribute £1m from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), while LLDC will provide £3.4m from s106 and CIL agreements with local developers and £4m from the Greater London Authority’s Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

Stratford Station was the fifth busiest station in the UK in 2022, with 128 million passenger movements in 2019 alone. The station provides vital interconnections between Network Rail, London Underground and Overground, DLR, bus, taxi, cycle routes and the Elizabeth Line. The new entrance marks the start of a drive to improve the station to meet the needs of travellers and bring benefits to local communities.