A coalition of public and private sector bodies is supporting plans for a major redevelopment of one of the country’s busiest train stations, submitted to Government today Tuesday, August 1, 2023).

The submission, developed by Newham Council, Network Rail, TfL and the London Legacy Development Corporation, sets out the work needed to progress plans for an upgrade to Stratford Station.

The work follows increasing concerns about the future capacity of the east London station and overcrowding. Stratford is one of the UK’s busiest stations with more than 128 million passenger movements recorded in 2019, an increase of 90 million in just 13 years. In 2022 the station was the fifth busiest in the whole of the UK and is one of the UK’s most important strategic transport interchanges linking London with Essex and the East of England, the Thames Estuary and Kent.

Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, speaking on behalf of the Stratford Station coalition, said: “The business case submitted to Government today outlines plans to transform the confusing, constrained and crowded layout at the station. We need a modern, thriving transport hub so that Stratford continues to support the growth of East London and deliver more homes and jobs.

“We are predicting a 60% growth in passenger numbers by 2041 which is why we urgently need to plan now to improve the station.

“The investment will bring major benefits to commuters, businesses and local communities; stimulating growth which will be felt by the people of Newham, Londoners and the wider UK economy as well.”

The Strategic Outline Business Case shows how an enhanced station can deliver:

• Up to 10,000 new jobs
• 150,000 sqm of commercial space
• New retail and community space centre around a major new public square
• Up to 2,000 new homes (50% genuinely affordable)
• Support the growth of east London, raise productivity and reduce carbon emissions.

Lyn Garner, Chief Executive of LLDC, said: “Stratford is home to the most successful post-Olympic regeneration with thousands of new homes and jobs. A station fit for purpose is vital to drive the success of projects already in the pipeline like East Bank, major events and additional housing and jobs.”

The partnership will now develop more detailed plans  for the station’s redevelopment which will be submitted to Government in the next few years.

Businesses and institutions supporting the proposals include East Bank, Here East, Westfield Stratford City, London City Airport, Stansted Airport, Notting Hill Genesis and Stratford BID.

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Link to images here
2. Key facts:

• Stratford is one of the best-connected places in the UK: There are 170 trains per hour from Stratford that serve over 200 stations across London, South East and East of England.
• Including passengers using both National Rail and Transport for London (TfL) services and interchanging within the station, TfL estimates that there were 128million passenger movements in the station in 2019, up from 40million in 2006: This would make Stratford the busiest station in the country.
• Beyond London there are an estimated 15 million passenger movements through the station every year that either start or finish outside London, making it one of the most important stations for non-London journeys in the UK.
• Stratford provides key links to London, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Berkshire – areas which collectively generate a third of the UK’s economic output.
• TfL has identified Stratford as one of only four ‘Strategic Interchanges’, which are fundamental to how people move around London and connect to services across the UK.
• Stratford is London’s busiest bus station, served by 25 separate routes, with over 22 million bus journeys either starting or finishing from Stratford every year.
• Residents of east London have the highest public transport mode share in the country with 41% of all trips in Newham made using public transport.
• Stratford is the only non-central London station provides direct links to a majority of London boroughs, serving stations in 25 of 33 boroughs across London.