Margaret Mullane 'presses case' to government for Beam Park station

Margaret Mullane has vowed to do "everything in her power" to get the station delivered and penned a letter to transport secretary Louise Haigh on the issue.

Labour MP Ms Mullane, alongside Havering councillors Matt Stanton and Trevor Mckeever who represent the Beam Park ward, met with London's deputy mayor for transport Seb Dance on September 6 to "maintain the pressure for the delivery of the station".

Ms Mullane's office said they were told the revised business case for the "financial viability" of the station is expected to be completed in November by the Greater London Authority (GLA), with input from c2c and Network Rail.

The previous test to see if Beam Park station would be financially viable - set by the Department for Transport under the last Conservative government - was that the fares generated by the new station should be enough to cover any additional operational costs for three years.

However, a spokesperson for the Department for Transport said "it is now for the GLA to progress the business case".

A CGI showing the plan for the Beam Park development (Image: Patel Taylor)

Ms Mullane said: "I have written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, to press the case for the station and to question why this viability test is being imposed for the Beam Park project. 

"I also pointed out the promise made to Beam Park residents on purchasing their homes and that the station will deliver significant regeneration outcomes for local area, with new homes, business investment and new jobs."

Almost 4,000 new homes are earmarked for the Beam Park development, which was once a Ford factory site. 

But 1,572 of these homes can only be built once the station is open to the public, under a condition in the planning consent designed to ensure residents have access to public transport connections.

In July, this paper reported that the building of Beam Park station had been pushed back until at least the end of 2027.

The railway infrastructure needs to be "safeguarded both during construction and after the station opens", according to Network Rail.

It has said it is working closely with partners, including the GLA and c2c, but have "no objections" to the building of the station "in principle".

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added that "further technical work" is ongoing to "assess the impact of the station on the wider network".

They said: "City Hall is committed to working on the delivery of Beam Park Station.

"We continue to work with the Department for Transport, Havering Council, c2c and Network Rail to find a way forward for this important project."

Margaret Mullane said she will 'continue to update residents' (Image: Andrew Achilleos)READ MORE: Central Park, London's newest park opens in Beam Park, Rainham

Ms Mullane said she has contacted c2c to arrange an "urgent" meeting to make sure that they and Network Rail "continue to fully cooperate in producing the business case".

She added: "I have given a clear commitment to do everything in my power to get Beam Park station delivered and will continue to update residents all the way through to the opening of the station."

A spokesperson from c2c said that it is in contact with Ms Mullane's office, adding that it is "in the process of bringing all relevant parties together to revisit and discuss plans around proposals for the station".

The Recorder also contacted TfL and the Department for Transport for comment.