Stratford station new entrance near Carpenters Estate opens

Stratford and Bow MP Uma Kumaran was among those to attend the official opening of the Carpenters Estate entrance on Monday (October 21).

It will ensure that for the first time, people living on the estate and visitors will have direct access to Gibbins Road from the station.

Previously, those wanting to use the station had to walk over a narrow overbridge at Jupp Road, with some people complaining this made them feel unsafe.

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London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has said walking journey times for people entering the station from the estate have now been cut by up to 20 minutes.

The planning authority delivered the £9.5 million project alongside Newham Council, Transport for London (TfL) and Greater London Authority (GLA).

New cycling bays and CCTV have also been installed outside the new station entrance, as well as space for kiosks.

Other public realm improvements include new benches, while the existing car park for TfL train drivers and staff has been maintained.

The new entrance improves access to the southern concourse of the station next to the Jubilee line, and also opens up a new route to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

LLDC has said that the project will form part of the foundations for initial plans to further expand Stratford station in the near future.

It is currently the seventh busiest TfL station, seeing more than 50 million passenger entries and exits annually.

A business case for the wider expansion is expected to be submitted to the government next autumn.

The new entrance also forms part of an ongoing regeneration of Carpenters Estate, which will provide more than 2,000 homes.

A CGI image of how Carpenters Estate might look after the regeneration project is completed (Image: Proctor and Matthews, Metropolitan Workshop)

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GLA provided £4 million of funding for the new station entrance, with TfL and Newham Council contributing £1 million each. The remaining cash was provided by LLDC.

Ms Kumaran was joined at the opening by Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz and other project partners.

Ms Fiaz said: “The completion of this new entrance at Stratford station is an another milestone in the delivery of the restored Carpenters Estate and will benefit the wider community, visitors and businesses with ease of access to one busiest stations in the country. 

“Enhancing the connection from Stratford town centre, Carpenters Estate through to the East Bank and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, we are transforming the neighbourhood as a regionally significant part of London.”