London Overground: Opening date of first new stop since 2015 confirmed

The first new stop on the London Overground since 2015 will open on 18 July, its operator has confirmed.

Transport for London (TfL) said an extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking line will provide a rail connection to the new Barking Riverside development.

Network Rail will close the line for engineering works on 23 and 24 July, but once that work is complete, four trains will run every hour.

Deputy Mayor Seb Dance said it was "more excellent news for east London".

Mr Dance, who has responsibility for transport, said he was "particularly pleased that this station is fully step-free and is opening much earlier than planned".

The line had been due to open in the autumn.

Some trains have already been running on the 2.7-mile (4.5 km) extension, as drivers have undertaken training and tested the route.

The station will connect commuters with the recently-opened Elizabeth line at Forest Gate.

TfL's chief capital officer Stuart Harvey said the extension would provide "accessible, sustainable travel to much-needed housing for Londoners".

Barking Riverside is a development of about 10,000 homes, as well as commercial units, community facilities and schools, which are being built on former industrial land next to the River Thames.

Currently, it takes 25 minutes to reach a London Underground connection at Barking by bus from the area.

The construction of the new section of line has required the building of a viaduct and the installation of structural steel plates, each weighing about 100 tonnes.

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