Following a meeting attended by Jon Cruddas MP and Wendy Morton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport on Monday 7/3/22 to discuss the cancellation of the promised Beam Park station, Jon reports that there now appears to be some progress.
The new station on the c2c line was promised to the residents moving to the 3,500+ housing development on Beam Park, and a condition for the Council in granting planning permission. It is also needed to relieve pressure at peak times for Rainham station. Since cancellation of the station council compulsory purchase orders have been suspended and developers have pulled out of future projects.
The Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham said “Local residents of the new Beam Park development and many other long-standing residents and people who have moved to nearby roads in the expectation of the new station have to be thanked and congratulated for their campaign to get the government to remove their objection to the Beam Park station.
"What we all need is a successful resolution of the financial issues and to get the station back on track. What is not needed is any buck passing between the government Havering Council and the GLA. I am determined to get this station built and will do everything I can to get the different parties to iron out any disagreements. Last week we had a positive meeting with the government following my recent parliamentary debate on saving the station”
Jon went on to say that there has been movement in that the Department of Transport had softened their demand for unlimited financial indemnities from the GLA against any possible operational losses as a consequence of Beam Park station. Following the meeting Jon has written to the GLA on the outcome of his meeting and urged that further negotiations take place to ensure that the station construction, which is being funded by the GLA, can proceed as soon as possible.
In the coming weeks Jon will meet again with the minister following detailed negotiations between officers at the GLA and the Department of Transport.