Making tracks: commuters wait for a train at the newly-reopened Lea Bridge station. Photograph: Waltham Forest Council
Lea Bridge station in East London reopened yesterday after more than 30 years.
The station, which closed to passengers in 1985, lies just to the north of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and on the edge of the Lea Valley Regional Park.
Passengers will be able to reach either Stratford or Tottenham Hale in five minutes, with northbound services continuing to Bishops Stortford.
The station was funded through £5.3 million from Waltham Forest Council, a £5.5 million Olympic redevelopment grant and £1.1 million from the government’s New Stations Fund.
Providing direct links to Stratford and Tottenham Hale, the station will give passengers journey times as short as five minutes, compared to the 40 minutes these journeys currently take by bus.
Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “Lea Bridge station is a great example of how our record investment in the railways and partnership working with local authorities and industry is delivering better journeys for passengers and boosting local economies.
“Passengers will now benefit from new connections and faster journeys, making it easier to get to work and visit friends and family.”
Services at Lea Bridge Station will be run by Abellio Greater Anglia, who operate a number of train services across London and the South-East.
With its proximity to the Olympic Park, Lea Bridge Station benefitted from over £5 million in Section 106 monies managed by the Stratford Transport Implementation Group (STIG).
Howard Potter, Chair of the STIG, said: “This contribution was secured by means of the planning agreement linked to the developments of Stratford City including the Olympic Village area.
“STIG comprises Waltham Forest, Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets Councils, the London Legacy Development Corporation, Transport for London, the developers Westfield and the Stratford Village Development Partnership.”
