In May, Hornchurch & Upminster MP, Julia Lopez, wrote to the Mayor of London to press for his commitment to provide funding for the refurbishment of the Gallows Corner flyover and to deliver the project as swiftly as possible. This correspondence followed confirmation from the previous Conservative Government that it would provide £57.3m in direct government funding for the project, representing 85% of its projected total cost.

Last week, Mrs Lopez received the Mayor’s response, confirming once more the arrangements for full final approval following TfL’s submission of a Full Business Case later this autumn.

In the meantime, the Mayor advises that TfL have commenced design and planning work and that traffic management plans during construction will be finalised in the coming months. Subject to full approval by the Department for Transport, substantive site works are due to commence in March 2025. Full copies of Julia’s letter to the Mayor and his response can be found below this article.

The Hornchurch & Upminster MP also wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, to advocate for the project following the Chancellor’s announcement that the government would be cancelling a range of transport projects across the country and placing many more in limbo while the Department for Transport completed a review of its capital projects. In response, the Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, was non-committal of the new government’s commitment to the project and merely advised that it was liaising with TfL. Full copies of the exchange can be found below this article.

Commenting, Julia Lopez MP, said:

‘I welcome the Mayor’s response that Transport for London have commenced design and planning work so that work on this essential project can finally begin as swiftly as possible. I had asked that the Mayor progress this project as an absolute priority and I am therefore glad that TfL have funded and commenced these enabling works ahead of full Government approval. 

Full approval will rely upon the Department for Transport approval of the Full Business Case and, given the Labour Government’s pausing of vital transport upgrades across the country, I have already written to the Secretary of State for Transport to highlight how essential the project is for Havering and the surrounding major road network.

I will continue to advocate forcefully for the completion of this project and call upon the Labour Government to fulfil the DfT’s commitment to fund it.’