Green light for key 2012 DLR line

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A key rail link for the 2012 Olympics has been given planning approval by the Department of Transport.

The £200m extension to the London Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will link Stratford International to the heart of the Olympic Park.

Work on the 3.7-mile (6km) line, between Royal Victoria and the Channel Tunnel rail terminus, will start in January and be completed by 2010.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said the line was central to London's 2012 preparations.

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He said the line would also "provide a lasting legacy for London, bringing much-needed regeneration to the areas along the route".

Work on the extension involves the conversion of part of the mainline North London Line to DLR operation between Royal Victoria and Stratford.

During the games, the Stratford International line will provide a direct link to the Olympic Park and run up to 27 trains an hour.

"It will mean that visitors from all over the world will be able to access the Olympic Park quickly and easily," said Mr Livingstone.

The extension is funded from Transport for London's £10bn investment programme and a contribution from the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Work on a £180m DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal from King George V station is ongoing and is due for completion in 2009.

A DLR service to London City Airport, costing £150m, was opened in December 2005.