A proposed Tramlink extension in Croydon town centre has moved one step closer after a public consultation revealed strong support for the scheme.

But Transport for London (TfL) still must convince Croydon Council that the project can fit in with planned regeneration efforts for the area.

The proposals would see trams routed in an anticlockwise loop via Dingwall Road and Lansdowne Road, with a new stop built near Emerald House, to allow for more frequent services and increased capacity on the network.

Yesterday TfL published the results of its consultation on the project held in the spring.

Out of 379 responses, 76 per cent expressed support for the proposed extension. When considering just Croydon respondents, that figure rose to 79 per cent.

However, Croydon Council is yet to be convinced of the full details of the proposal, and has raised concerns about the potential impact on cycle lanes, bus routes, and pedestrian crossings in the affected area.

It told TfL: "The council acknowledges the Dingwall Loop as a pragmatic means of delivering additional capacity and resilience to the tram network in the short to medium term."

But it continues that it "will need to reserve its position and continue to object" to wait for further discussion with TfL officers and a separate consultation on the impact on bus routes.

The Croydon Transport Focus group also cited potential disruption to bus passengers as their main objection to the proposal in its current form.

Despite the concerns TfL appears confident that the scheme will go ahead, and has signalled it plans to apply as early as next year for permission to begin construction on the loop.

About 31m journeys are made on the tram network each year. TfL estimates this demand will nearly double by 2030.

Read the full consultation here.