Focus on Bexley

Next stop Ebbsfleet! Abbey Wood is not the end of the line for Crossrail

The long-awaited opening of Elizabeth Line services and the huge opportunity for levelling up that this brings has been welcomed by Kate Willard OBE, Estuary Envoy and Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, and Teresa O’Neill OBE, Thames Estuary Growth Board Member and Leader of the London Borough of Bexley. Both are calling for the original plan to take the service to Ebbsfleet in Kent to be realised to support hard-pressed communities in Bexley and North Kent.

Twelve trains per hour are running from Abbey Wood across central London to Paddington. Through services to Heathrow and Reading will follow in the Autumn and the full network will be operational by May of next year. However, both Estuary Envoy, Kate Willard, and Bexley Leader, Councillor Teresa O’Neill, are clear that the story doesn’t end there. Welcoming the new service, Kate Willard, government-appointed Estuary Envoy, commented: “Bringing the new service to Abbey Wood is a game-changer – but we now need to complete the vision and connect Ebbsfleet and communities in Bexley, Dartford, Gravesham and - through greater connectivity - coastal East Kent, which are amongst the Government’s top priorities for levelling up. Completing the line would bring new capacity, resilience, and rail destinations to some of our hardest pressed Estuary communities.” Councillor O’Neill explained: “The original vision for Crossrail was that it continues through Bexley and into North Kent. It was only dropped because of uncertainties over growth and worries about delays. We think we have shown in our recent work that these are no longer significant issues.” The C2E Partnership received government funding to explore transport improvement options between Abbey Wood and Gravesend at the beginning of 2020 and submitted a strategic outline business case to ministers in October of last year. This detailed study looked at a range of different schemes and concluded that three options should be shortlisted for further work, two of which incorporate the eastward extension of Elizabeth Line services. In its submission letter the Partnership confirmed that one of these Crossrail options is its preferred choice and has the potential to deliver significant new growth as part of carefully designed places. Councillor O’Neill said: ‘The Government is yet to respond to the submission but the Partnership considers that the celebrations around the opening of the Elizabeth Line are just the right time to kick on with the project. “The Elizabeth line is a world class transport system that will blow people away but we can’t stop there. We have got to make sure that we make the most of all this knowledge and investment and that we spread the benefit as widely as possible. The opening of the line offers a unique opportunity to commit to doing that and show we are not content to rest on our laurels.” The Partnership will be writing to government ministers urging them to use the recent opening as a launch pad for further work on C2E.

High Streets for All – supporting town centre recovery

The council is working with local partners, including the BID, to bring forward an innovative high street vision focused on the Bexleyheath Broadway area with a series of events and activities taking place to test new approaches to revitalise the town centre.

The High Streets for All programme is trialling a monthly night market event from 6pm–10pm on the last Friday of each month. Following a well-attended first event on 24 June, the partners are working to adapt and improve the next events which will take place on 29 July, 26 August, 30 September and 28 October. These will involve local traders as well as key London traders and if successful will become a long-term activity for Bexleyheath town centre, supporting its businesses to open at later hours and driving footfall in the town centre. A vital part of our High Streets for All programme is also to understand young people’s needs and aspirations in Bexleyheath. A series of engagement activities for young people are taking place that aim to re-interrogate the existing offer available to young people and initiate better cross generation relationships, and test ways of using the public realm and surrounding areas. Engagement activities with young people include:

1. Intergenerational Co-design Workshops

Students from various local schools have joined a series of workshops with elderly residents to discuss their experiences of the high street. The workshops opened a dialogue that focuses on bringing different generations together to codesign solutions for the high street.

2. Youth Enterprise Challenge

The Youth Enterprise Challenge teaches young participants the basic principles of business and marketing. The skills learned will be put into practice, by selling their new products at the Night Market events on the 29 July. The products will be created using local manufacturers, building connections, and engaging with local businesses.

3. Young Curators Workshops

A group of young people from local schools and youth groups, are co-curating an event which will be part of the 30 September night market event. The group is learning how to design, curate, and promote a two-hour event. This will support young people to engage locally and be part of Bexleyheath's town centre’s life.