96% of Londoners say get on with the Bakerloo Line extension

An easy question, with a resounding answer. Does everyone want a southern extension of the Bakerloo Line? Yes. Yes, we do.

The public consultation is now over and the margin of victory for the yes camp is on a par with the referendum asking the Falkland Islanders asking them if they want to remain a UK Overseas Territory.

TfL says:

Initial analysis shows that over 90% of the 14,200 responses* support the principle of an extension into southeast London. 96% of respondents indicated they either ‘strongly support’ or ‘support’, in principle, the extension of the Bakerloo line into southeast London from its current end point at Elephant & Castle.

Matthew Yates, Head of Transport Planning & Projects, spoke about what happens next: "Over the coming months we are reviewing the case for the proposed extension including the different route options and possible station locations. We are also carrying out further environmental, planning and engineering studies and examining funding options."

Looking to the future, Matthew said: "It is still early days in the planning of this project but if progressed, and subject to funding and necessary powers, construction of this extension could start as early as 2023 and be open during the 2030’s."

We're not going to say that we are wiser than Jesus and Confucius put together - that is for others to say - but when we started writing about the consultation, the official line was that it wouldn't start operating until 2040. We said: "the smart money is on this project being brought forward by a decade or so, as South East London transport overheats." Now, they're talking about work starting in eight years.

Thanks to Monkeyboy for the tip-off.