The Docklands Light Railway’s (DLR) third-busiest station is set to close for the refurbishment of its four escalators, with an estimated expenditure of £4 million.
Situated in Greenwich, southeast London, the station has been operational since 1999. Currently, all escalators are non-functional, forcing passengers to navigate 121 steps to access the platform.
Transport for London (TfL) has been in charge of managing repairs at the station since 2021, following its original construction and upkeep under a Private Finance Initiative.
BBC London inquired about the closure schedule and its duration, to which TfL responded that they would provide a timeline once their plans are solidified.
Tom Page, the DLR’s general manager, expressed his regrets regarding the ongoing problems with the escalators at Cutty Sark, acknowledging the significant inconvenience it has caused for station users.
He noted, “We have obtained funding for the escalator replacement and are currently developing plans to restore full escalator service at the station.”
In 2023, Cutty Sark served 7.6 million passengers, ranking it as the third-busiest DLR station, following Canary Wharf and Limehouse.
Last year, Kentish Town Tube station reopened six months later than scheduled after replacing what were deemed the most unreliable escalators on the network.
Additionally, in June, TfL announced delays in the introduction of new DLR trains due to “complex challenges.”
