Stratford International in east London is set to become a new cross-channel rail hub, with services to continental Europe expected to begin as early as 2030.
The upgrade, part of a Government-backed investment programme, builds on the legacy of the 2012 Olympics and Newham’s ongoing regeneration. The announcement means the station could finally become what its name has always promised.
Mayor of Newham Forhad Hussain said: “This is brilliant news for Stratford, Newham and London. The announcement means that you’ll be able to get from the heart of Stratford to central Paris in just two and a half hours. Stratford is one of London’s great regeneration success stories, and we’ll be working hard to ensure the rest of Newham feels the benefits of our new European connection.”
The surrounding Olympic Park area could support more than 11,000 additional jobs by 2035, generating a further £2 billion in annual economic output.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “After lobbying on the issue for many years, I’m delighted that the Government will help us to bring cross-channel rail services to Stratford International – making this station truly international for the first time. It will open up huge opportunities for jobs, investment and tourism.”
Business and unions welcome the move
Business leaders have also welcomed the announcement. Gianluca Rizzo, from the Stratford Original business forum, said: “This is an important step towards realising Stratford’s potential as destination and soon as a gateway to Europe, bringing new opportunities for visitors, investment and local jobs.”
Others in the transport sector echoed that optimism. Dave Calfe, general secretary of the train drivers’ union ASLEF, said: “The decision to invest in Stratford International is the right decision at the right time. It will mean a boost not just for one station, not just for Newham, and not just for London. It will mean a boost for Britain.”
The Stratford announcement comes as London’s transport network faces a busy weekend, with major road closures on the A40, the M25 and around Brent Cross and the Thamesmead DLR extension edging forward. But the Stratford scheme looks much further ahead: if services begin by 2030 as expected, a passenger will be able to board in east London and step off in central Paris two and a half hours later — a journey that today requires a trip across the capital to St Pancras first.
What stands out about the announcement is the breadth of the welcome: the borough mayor, the Mayor of London, local business and the train drivers’ union all lined up behind it. That unanimity reflects what Stratford represents — a station whose name has always promised a European future, in a borough still building on its Olympic legacy, now promised the international services to match. The 11,000 jobs and £2 billion in annual output projected for the Olympic Park area by 2035 are the prize being chased; the trains, if they come by 2030, are how it gets there.
