A new overground station in East London will open ahead of schedule this summer, Transport for London (TfL) has said. 

TfL has been able to bring forward the launch of Barking Riverside, which had originally been due to open in the autumn.

The 4.5km extension, which extends the Gospel Oak to Barking London Overground route to a new step-free station at the heart of Barking Riverside, will drastically cut journey times from Barking to Barking Riverside - which currently takes around 25 minutes by bus.

Four trains an hour will run, taking seven minutes to travel from Barking Riverside to Barking.

Some trains are already running on the line while route testing and driver training takes place by Arriva Rail London, which operates the London Overground on TfL’s behalf.

The extension is a key part of the Barking Riverside development, a 180-hectare brownfield site on the northern bank of the River Thames. 

The site will see construction of more than 10,000 new homes plus community, commercial and retail space, and the new station sits in the heart of a new public square. 

Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, said: “Through fantastic collaboration with our partners working on this project, including the MSVF joint venture of Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and VolkerFitzpatrick, Network Rail and Arriva Rail London, I am pleased to confirm that the Barking Riverside Extension will open this summer. The extension will be a game changer for Barking Riverside - vastly improving transport connectivity, accessibility and helping to realise plans to deliver much needed housing.”

Steve Balliston, project director for MSVF (Morgan Sindall Infrastructure VolkerFitzpatrick) joint venture, said: “It has been a privilege to work on the Barking Riverside Extension, and we’re delighted that we have achieved this major milestone ahead of the targeted date, through our efficient, safety-conscious and collaborative efforts. The team, along with TfL and our supply chain, has worked extremely hard to meet every challenge and deliver a project that provides better connectivity and employment benefits for the local and wider community.”