3-mile DLR extension to City Airport

A multi-million pound extension of the Docklands Light Railway to City Airport was today given the goahead by Transport Secretary Stephen Byers.

The three-mile extension from Canning Town to North Woolwich via the airport will have four or five stations. It will allow major expansion at City Airport, which has been without a direct rail link, by cutting journey times to 11 minutes from Canary Wharf and 21 minutes from Bank.

Mr Byers's acceptance of the scheme followed a public inquiry and the allocation of £30million of government funding.

He said the extension would "provide a catalyst for much-needed regeneration of the areas to the south of the Royal Docks and bring new jobs, homes, shops and leisure facilities to the area".

It is also central to plans by DLR operator Serco Docklands Ltd to increase passenger numbers by 50 per cent to 60 million by 2006.

Serco also plans to extend the new link under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal.