A public consultation into plans to extend the Bakerloo line from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham, Hayes and Bromley has now begun.

The plans would cost up to £3 billion however Boris Johnson has argued that the proposals are imperative to south London to help see it grow as the population continues to rise.

The proposal, from the Mayor of London’s 2050 Infrastructure Plan, suggests the line take one of two routes through New Cross, Lewisham, Catford, Beckenham and finally Hayes – via Camberwell and Peckham or through the Old Kent Road.

The scheme has no funding in place but if given the go-ahead the extension would begin in 2023 and finish during the 2030s.

During yesterday’s full overview and scrutiny committee meeting, Lewisham Council said the Bakerloo Line extension would provide a “strategic corridor from north west to south east London” and would free up capacity on the rail network utilising spare capacity on the existing Bakerloo Line making it excellent value for money.

Labour’s Councillor Alan Hall, Chair said: “Lewisham Councillors are fully behind the Bakerloo Line Extension and in fact we would like to see proposals to make this a reality brought forward faster.”