| Docklands Light Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
 DLR train atCanary Wharf DLR station | |
 DLR train atPontoon Dock DLR station | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | Docklands Light Railway Ltd, part ofTransport for London |
| Area served | London |
| Locale | Greater London |
| Transit type | Light metro |
| Number of lines | 3[1] |
| Number of stations | 45 |
| Annual ridership | 97.8 million (2024/25)[2] 1.1% |
| Headquarters | Endeavour Square, London, E20[3] |
| Website | tfl |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 31 August 1987; 38 years ago (1987-08-31)[4] |
| Operator(s) | KeolisAmey Docklands Limited (Keolis 70%,Amey 30%) (2014–2033) |
| Number of vehicles | 149 |
| Train length | 2 or 3 vehicles per trainset |
| Headway | 3–5 minutes |
| Technical | |
| System length | 38 km (24 mi)[5] |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Minimum radius of curvature | 125 ft (38 m) |
| Electrification | Third rail, 750 V DC |
| Top speed |
|
Docklands Light Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 All stations have step-free access from street to train. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheDocklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automatedlight metro system primarily serving the redevelopedDocklands area ofLondon and providing a direct connection between London's two major financial districts,Canary Wharf and theCity of London. First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, giving a total route length of 38 km (24 miles). Lines now reach north toStratford, south toLewisham, west toTower Gateway andBank in the City of London financial district, and east toBeckton,London City Airport andWoolwich Arsenal. An extension toThamesmead is currently being proposed.
Normal operations are automated, so there is minimal staffing on the 149 trains (which have no driving cabs) and at major interchange stations; the four below-ground stations are staffed, to comply with health and safety regulations for underground stations. The DLR was one of the first major railway infrastructure projects in Britain where access for disabled people was considered, with level access into the train from platforms and lifts at all stations.
The DLR is operated and maintained by franchisee KeolisAmey Docklands (ajoint venture of transport companyKeolis and infrastructure support providerAmey) forTransport for London (TfL). Passenger numbers have increased as the network has expanded since its launch. In the financial year 2024/25, there were 97.8 million passenger journeys.
In the 18th and 19th century, new docks were built east of theCity of London to cater for the rapidly growing city. The last of these docks opened in 1921 in theRoyal Docks. From the early 1960s, the docks began to decline as cargo wascontainerised and mechanised. The older docks did not have space to expand, and could not handle larger vessels.[7] The docks had been connected to the national railway network via theLondon and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which was closed in 1966 for lack of traffic.[8] From the mid-1960s, the docks gradually closed down, leading to major job losses and economic deprivation.[7] In the 1970s, the opening of new deep waterTilbury container docks located further east inEssex exacerbated the issue, with the Royal Docks closing in 1981.[7]
Throughout the 1970s, the government and theGreater London Council (GLC) put forward various plans to redevelop the Docklands area. The area was thought to have great potential for redevelopment, located close to the City of London with historic warehouses and large areas of water.[9]
In 1972, the London Docklands Study team commissioned Travis Morgan & Partners to propose redevelopment of the area. In 1973, they proposed, among other recommendations, that a "minitram" people-mover system capable of carrying up to 20 people in each unit should be constructed to connect the Docklands with the plannedFleet line tube railway terminus atFenchurch Street railway station.[10] The Greater London Council formed a Docklands Joint Committee with the Boroughs ofGreenwich,Lewisham,Newham,Southwark andTower Hamlets in 1974 to undertake the redevelopment of the area. A light railway system was envisaged, terminating either atTower Hill tube station or at nearby Fenchurch Street, but both options were seen as too expensive.
Nonetheless, in 1976 another report proposed a conventional tube railway for the area and London Transport obtained Parliamentary powers to build a line fromCharing Cross station to Fenchurch Street, Surrey Docks (nowSurrey Quays railway station), theIsle of Dogs,North Greenwich and Custom House toWoolwich Arsenal. This was intended to be the second stage of the Fleet line – which had been renamed theJubilee line, the first stage of which opened in 1979 fromStanmore toCharing Cross. This would have cost around £325 million.[11] However, when theThatcher Government came to power, the plans to extend the Jubilee line were halted and the new government insisted that a lower-cost option should be pursued.[10]
In July 1981, the government established theLondon Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) to coordinate the redevelopment of the Docklands. The need to provide a cheap public transport solution led to it commissioning London Transport to evaluate a number of exclusively light rail options, usingtrams or tram like vehicles.[12] The cost of extending the Jubilee line to the area was now estimated to be around £450 million.[13]
The core of the route ran alongside theGreat Eastern line out of London and south along the former London & Blackwall Railway line through the Isle of Dogs. Three terminus options were proposed at the west end, at Tower Hill, Minories andAldgate East. The Tower Hill option would have required a low-level interchange to be constructed alongside the existing Underground station, but this would have been a very costly venture. The Minories option, a high-level station virtually on the site of the oldMinories railway station, was selected and became the current Tower Gateway DLR terminus.[10] Aldgate East would have been perhaps the most ambitious of all of the options, as it originally envisaged a low-level connection with theDistrict line that would have allowed DLR trains to run onLondon Underground tracks to a variety of central London destinations. However, it quickly became apparent that there was no capacity on the existing network for integrating the DLR into the Underground.[14]
Two southern terminus options were put forward, at Cubitt Town (today'sIsland Gardens station) and Tiller Road, on the west side ofMillwall Dock, with two possible routes to reach them. A "western" route would have run from theWestferry station alongside West Ferry Road via Cuba Street, then either terminating at Tiller Road or continuing over Millwall Docks Cut to a terminus at Cubitt Town. The "central" option required theWest India Docks to be infilled or bridged and would run down the middle of the peninsula, through what was at the time an area of derelict warehouses.[15] Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though the 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development aroundCanary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years.[16]
The northern terminus was proposed atMile End, with options includingstreet running down Burdett Road towards Limehouse or along the Mile End Road to turn south before using an old railway alignment to reach Poplar.[17]
A final report – prepared by the GLC, LDDC, government departments and London Transport – was published in June 1982, proposing a north–south route from Mile End to the Isle of Dogs, and an east–west route linking the Isle of Dogs to the City of London.[13][18] Even during the development of the line, proposals for future extensions were being envisaged and investigated.[13][19]
Following the publishing of the report, the Departments of the Environment and Transport agreed to provide £77 million towards construction of the extension, with a deadline of 1987.[20] The funding agreement also included conditions to maximise the use of modern technology, and that no ongoing subsidy would be available from government.[21]
Initially, the system was planned to be manually operated and having some stretches of street running.[22] During the Parliamentary process, the northern terminus of the line was changed toStratford, as part of efforts to segregate the line from road and other railway traffic, as the LDDC were pushing for the line to use a "high tech automated system".[21] In 1984, the contract for the initial system was awarded to aGEC /John Mowlem joint venture, which proposed fully automated operation usinglight rail vehicles.[23]
The twoActs of Parliament that authorised the line to be built were passed in 1984 and 1985.[24] Construction of the system began shortly after in 1985, with the joint venture careful to minimise costs in light of the £77 million budget.[21] Two thirds of the route was built on underused or disused railway infrastructure, and station architecture used akit-of-parts approach to save money.[25][26]
The railway was formally opened byQueen Elizabeth II on 30 July 1987,[27] and passenger services began on 31 August.[28][4] The initial system comprised two routes, fromTower Gateway andStratford toIsland Gardens, with a total length of 12.1 km (7.5 miles).[25] It was mainly elevated on disused railway viaducts or new concrete viaducts, and adopted disused surface railwayformations between Poplar and Stratford. The trains were fully automated, controlled by computer, and had no driver; a Passenger Service Agent (PSA) on each train, originally referred to as a "Train Captain", was responsible for patrolling the train, checking tickets, making announcements and controlling the doors. PSAs could take control of the train in circumstances including equipment failure and emergencies.[29][30] A total of eleven units supplied byLinke-Hofmann-Busch comprised the first generation of theDocklands Light Railway rolling stock.[31]
The system was lightweight, with stations designed for trains of only a single articulated vehicle. The three branches totalled 13 km (8.1 miles), had 15 stations, and were connected by a flat triangular junction nearPoplar. Services ran from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and from Stratford to Island Gardens; the north side of the junction was used only for access to thePoplar depot.[32][28][33] The stations were mostly of a common design and constructed from standard components. A common feature was a short half-cylindrical glazed blue canopy. All stations were above ground and were generally unstaffed.[26] All stations featured lifts and level access into the train from platforms.[34][35]
The initial system had a relatively low capacity, but the Docklands area very quickly developed into a major financial centre and employment zone, increasing traffic. In particular Tower Gateway, at the edge of the City of London, attracted criticism for its poor connections, as it did not connect directly with the nearbyTower Hill tube station orFenchurch Street railway station. The criticism arose partly because the system usage was higher than expected.[36] Plans were developed, before the system opened, to extend it toBank in the west andBeckton in the east.[37] Stations and trains were extended to two-unit length, and the system was expanded into the heart of the City of London toBank through a tunnel, which opened in 1991 at a cost of £295 million.[38][39] This extension leftTower Gateway on a stub.
The original trains were not suitable for underground usage due to not meeting the fire safety laws for underground trains.[31] They were operated for a time on the above-ground sections only, andwere later sold.
As theCanary Wharf office complex grew,Canary Wharf DLR station was redeveloped from a small wayside station to a large one with six platforms serving three tracks and a large overall roof, fully integrated into the malls below the office towers.[40]
The east ofDocklands needed better transport connections to encourage development, and a fourth branch, towardsBeckton, was planned, with several route options available.[41] A route fromPoplar viaCanning Town and the north side of the Royal Docks complex was chosen, and opened in March 1994 at a cost of £280 million.[28] Initially it was thought the line was likely to be underutilised, due to the sparse development in the area[42] and for this reason two additional stations at Thames Wharf (not to be confused with the later Thames Wharf proposal on the Woolwich branch) and Connaught were omitted.[43] As part of this extension, one side of the original flat triangular junction was replaced by agrade-separated junction west of Poplar. Poplar was rebuilt to givecross-platform interchange between the Stratford and Beckton lines, with a new grade-separated junction built east of the station at the divergence of the Stratford and Beckton lines. As part of the extension, a new, larger, depot was built atBeckton.
Early on,Lewisham London Borough Council commissioned a feasibility study into extending the system under theRiver Thames. This led the council to advocate an extension viaGreenwich andDeptford, terminating atLewisham railway station.[44] The ambitions of the operators were supported by politicians in Parliament, including the futureLabour Deputy Prime MinisterJohn Prescott, andLord Whitty.[40][45] The extension would bedesigned, built, financed and maintained by a private consortium as aPrivate finance initiative, with Government contributing around £50 million of the £200 million construction cost.[46]
Construction began in 1996, with the extension opening ahead of schedule on 20 November 1999.[46][47] It left the Island Gardens route south of theCrossharbour turn-back sidings, and dropped gently toMudchute, where a street-level station replaced the high-level one on the formerLondon & Blackwall Railway viaduct. The line then entered a tunnel, following the route of the viaduct to a shallow subsurface station atIsland Gardens, accessible by stairs or a lift. It crossed under the Thames toCutty Sark in the centre of Greenwich, and surfaced atGreenwich railway station, with cross-platform interchange between the northbound track and the London-boundmain line. The line snaked on a concrete viaduct toDeptford Bridge, before descending toElverson Road at street level, close to Lewisham town centre, terminating in two platforms between and below the main-line platforms at Lewisham railway station, with buses stopping outside the station.[48] The extension quickly proved profitable.[49]
An extension toLondon City Airport from the existing Beckton branch was explored in the mid-90s, at first via travelator fromRoyal Albert, and then in 1998 via a proposed lift-bridge over the dock with an intermediate station at West Silvertown.[50][51][52] The government initially supported this proposal, and in 1999 was developed to the route known today with a further extension to King George V. At this time, the further route to Woolwich Arsenal was developed with an intermediate station at Woolwich Reach, but was viewed as a longer-term aspiration. The Woolwich Reach station (on the south bank of the Thames, at the site of the Marlborough Road ventilation and escape shaft), was descoped in 2000.
The extension was aided by a five-year programme of investment for public transport across London that was unveiled by Mayor of LondonKen Livingstone on 12 October 2004.[53] On 2 December 2005, an eastward branch along the approximate route of the formerEastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway on the southern side of theRoyal Docks complex opened from Canning Town toKing George V viaLondon City Airport.[54]
A further extension fromKing George V toWoolwich Arsenal opened on 10 January 2009, providing interchange with National Rail services.[32] The extension again used Private Finance Initiative funding,[55] with construction beginning in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised.[56] The tunnels under the Thames were completed on 23 July 2007,[57] and formally opened byBoris Johnson,Mayor of London on 12 January 2009.[58] Following completion, the project was shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award.[59]
The originalTower Gateway station was closed in mid-2008 for complete reconstruction. The two terminal tracks either side of a narrow island platform were replaced by a single track between two platforms, one for arriving passengers and the other for departing (Spanish solution). It reopened on 2 March 2009.[60][61]
As part of an upgrade to allow three-car trains, strengthening work was necessary at the Delta Junction north ofWest India Quay.[62] It was decided to include this in a plan for further grade separation to eliminate the conflict between services to Stratford and from Bank. A new timetable was introduced, with improved frequencies at peak hours. The new grade-separated route from Bank to Canary Wharf is used throughout the day, bypassing West India Quay station until mid-evening.[63] Work on this project proceeded concurrently with the three-car upgrade work and the 'diveunder' (sometimes referred to as a flyunder but DLR have coined the term in this instance 'diveunder'), and the improved timetable came into use on 24 August 2009.[64]
With the development of the eastern Docklands as part of theThames Gateway initiative and London's staging of the2012 Summer Olympics, several extensions and enhancements were undertaken.[65]
Capacity was increased by upgrading for trains with three cars, each with four doors per side. The alternative of more frequent trains was rejected as the signalling changes needed would have cost no less than upgrading to longer trains and with fewer benefits.[66] The railway had been built for single-car operation, and the upgrade required both strengthening viaducts to take heavier trains and lengthening many platforms.[67] The extra capacity was useful for the2012 Summer Olympics, which increased the use of London's transport network.[68] The main contractor for the expansion and alteration works wasTaylor Woodrow.[69]
Elverson Road, Royal Albert, Gallions Reach and Cutty Sark have not been extended for three-car trains; such extension may be impossible in some cases.Selective door operation is used, with emergency walkways in case a door fails to remain shut.Cutty Sark station is underground, and both costs and the risk to nearby historic buildings prevent platform extension. The tunnel has an emergency walkway. Additional work beyond that needed to take the three-car trains was also carried out at some stations. This included replacing canopies with more substantial ones along the full platform length. A newSouth Quay station has been built 200 m (660 ft) east of the former location as nearby curves precluded lengthening.Mudchute now has a third platform.[70]
For this upgrade DLR purchased an additional 31 cars compatible with existing rolling stock.[71] The works were originally planned as three phases: Bank-Lewisham, Poplar-Stratford, and the Beckton branch. The original £200 million contract was awarded on 3 May 2007.[72] Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham was originally due to be completed in 2009. However, the work programme for the first two phases was merged and the infrastructure work was completed by the end of January 2010. The Lewisham-Bank route now runs three-car trains exclusively. They started running on the Beckton branch on 9 May 2011.[73] Stratford to Lewisham and Bank to Woolwich Arsenal services sometimes operate as three-car trains; other routes run the longer trains when required.
In addition to the three-car station extensions, partly funded from the 2012 Olympics budget, a line was opened from Canning Town to Stratford andStratford International railway station along the formerNorth London Line of the national railway system, with additional stations. It parallels the London Underground Jubilee line for much of its length.
The extension toStratford International, taking over theNorth London Line from Canning Town to Stratford, links the Docklands area with domestic high-speed services onHigh Speed 1. It was an important part of transport improvements for the2012 Olympic Games, much of which were held on a site adjoining Stratford International.[74]
The first contract for construction work was awarded on 10 January 2007[75] and construction started in mid-2007. Originally scheduled to open in mid-2010,[76] the line opened on 31 August 2011.[77] On 11 November 2015 the Mayor of London announced that all stations on this line would be rezoned from zone 3 to zone 2/3.[78]
New stations wereCanning Town,Star Lane,West Ham,Abbey Road,Stratford High Street andStratford International. Of these, Canning Town, West Ham and Stratford are former North London Line stations, and Stratford High Street was built on the site ofStratford Market railway station.
From Canning Town to Stratford the extension runs parallel to theJubilee line of theLondon Underground. As well as providing interchange with the adjacent Jubilee line stations, there are additional DLR stations at Star Lane, Abbey Road and Stratford High Street.
At Stratford new platforms were built for the North London Line at the northern end of the station. The old platforms (formerly 1 and 2) adjacent to the Jubilee line were rebuilt for the DLR, renumbered 16 (towards Stratford International) and 17 (towards Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal). Interchange between the Stratford International branch and DLR trains via Poplar is possible although the platforms are widely separated and at different levels. There is no physical connection between the two branches.
One of the tunnel portals forElizabeth line is on the original site ofPudding Mill Lane station. As a consequence, work was carried out to divert the DLR between City Mill River and the River Lea onto a new viaduct further south. This included a replacement station, which opened on 28 April 2014.[79][80] The former station stood on the only significant section of single track on the system, betweenBow Church andStratford.[81] The opportunity was taken to double the track in three stages, to improve capacity. There was originally no provision for works beyond the realigned section in theCrossrail Act.
The DLR has 38 km (24 miles) of tracks,[82] with 45 stations.[83] The three lines shown on the TfL DLR map have six branches: toLewisham in the south,Stratford andStratford International in the north,Beckton andWoolwich Arsenal in the east, and Central London in the west, splitting toBank andTower Gateway.[84]
The northern, southern and south-eastern branches terminate at the National Rail stations at Stratford, Stratford International, Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal. Other interchanges with National Rail are atLimehouse,Greenwich andWest Ham, while out-of-station interchanges forOyster card holders are available between Shadwell DLR station and theWindrush line station of thesame name, and between Fenchurch Street and the DLR's western termini of Tower Gateway and Bank.[85]
Between Limehouse and Tower Gateway, the DLR runs parallel to theLondon, Tilbury and Southend line.
The following services are operated in normal off-peak service from 26 September 2022:[86]
| Off-peak service | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Route | Trains per hour | Calling at | |
| Bank –Lewisham | 12 | Shadwell,Limehouse,Westferry,West India Quay (Bank-bound only),Canary Wharf,Heron Quays,South Quay,Crossharbour,Mudchute,Island Gardens,Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich,Greenwich,Deptford Bridge,Elverson Road | |
| Bank –Woolwich Arsenal | 6 | Shadwell, Limehouse, Westferry,Poplar,Blackwall,East India,Canning Town,West Silvertown,Pontoon Dock,London City Airport,King George V | |
| Tower Gateway –Beckton | 6 | Shadwell, Limehouse, Westferry, Poplar, Blackwall, East India, Canning Town,Royal Victoria,Custom House for ExCeL,Prince Regent,Royal Albert,Beckton Park,Cyprus,Gallions Reach | |
| Canning Town – Beckton | 6 | Royal Victoria, Custom House, Prince Regent, Royal Albert, Beckton Park, Cyprus, Gallions Reach | |
| Stratford – Canary Wharf | 12 | Pudding Mill Lane,Bow Church,Devons Road,Langdon Park,All Saints, Poplar, West India Quay | |
| Stratford International – Woolwich Arsenal | 6 | Stratford,Stratford High Street,Abbey Road,West Ham,Star Lane, Canning Town, West Silvertown, Pontoon Dock, London City Airport, King George V | |
At peak times, these same services run, but with the frequency increased by 25 per cent. Additionally, in the morning peak, alternate Stratford – Canary Wharf services extend to Lewisham.
At terminal stations, trains reverse direction in the platforms, except at Bank where there is a reversingheadshunt in the tunnel beyond the station. Trains can also turn back atCrossharbour andMudchute - a facility used during service disruption or planned engineering work. There is also capability for an additional shuttle from Canning Town to Prince Regent when exhibitions are in progress at theExCeL exhibition centre, although this is not supported by any additional turnback infrastructure. Trains serve every station on the route, but trains from Bank to Lewisham do not call atWest India Quay because they are routed along the diveunder track to avoid junction conflicts. When required, such as during engineering works or for special events, other routes may be operated, such as Beckton to Lewisham if the Bank and Tower Gateway branch is closed.
Most stations areelevated, with others at street level, in cutting or underground. Access to the platforms is mostly by staircase and lift, with escalators at some stations. From the outset the system has been fully accessible to wheelchairs; much attention was paid to quick and effective accessibility for all passengers.[87] The station platforms match the floor height of the cars, giving level access for passengers with wheelchairs or pushchairs.[34]
Most stations are of a modular design dating back to the initial system, extended and improved with two side platforms, each with separate access from the street, and platform canopies, although few examples remain of the original, distinctive rounded roof design. Stations are unstaffed, except the underground stations atBank,Stratford International andWoolwich Arsenal for safety reasons, a few of the busier interchange stations,Canning Town,West Ham, and City Airport, which has a ticket office for passengers unfamiliar with the system. Canning Town, Custom House and Prince Regent are normally staffed on the platform whenever there is a significant exhibition at theExCeL exhibition centre.
On 3 July 2007, DLR officially launched[88] an art programme called DLR Art,[89] similar to that on the London Underground,Art on the Underground. Alan Williams was appointed to produce the first temporary commission, called "Sidetrack", which portrays the ordinary and extraordinary sights, often unfamiliar to passengers, on the system and was displayed throughout the network.[90]
The system is part of theLondon fare zone system, andTravelcards that cover the appropriate zones are valid. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at the entrances to platforms, and are required before accessing the platform. Passengers usingOyster pay-as-you-go[91] andcontactless bank-cards need to touch both in and out of the system using card readers on automatic gates and platforms. There are no ticket barriers at DLR-only stations:[92] correct ticketing is enforced by random on-train inspections by Passenger Service Agents (PSAs). There are barriers atBank,Canning Town, West Ham andStratford, where the DLR platforms are within aLondon Underground orNational Rail barrier line. There are also ticket barriers atWoolwich Arsenal, which are the only barriers staffed by DLR staff; at this station passengers can pass between the DLR andSoutheastern platforms within the paid area. Users of payment cards who have failed to touch in at the start of the journey, and other passengers without a correct ticket, may be liable to a £100 penalty fare or prosecution for fare evasion.
The DLR is equipped with 149 high-floorbi-directional single-articulatedelectric multiple units (EMUs). Each car has four double doors on each side, and two or three cars make up a train.[32][failed verification] There are no cabs because normal operations are automated; an "Emergency Driving Position" console is concealed behind a locked panel at each end, from which the PSA can manually operate the car.[93] Consoles at each door opening allow a PSA to control door closure and make announcements whilst patrolling the train. With the absence of a driver's position, the fully glazed car ends provide a forward and rear view for passengers. The operational top speed is 64 km/h (40 mph).
Despite having high floors and being automated, the cars are derived from a Germanlight-rail design intended for street running. All cars look similar but there have been several different types, some still in service, others sold to other operators. Units were purchased fromBombardier in 2005 and delivered between 2007 and 2010.[94]
In 2017, TfL opened bidding for new full-length, walk-through trains, subsequently awarded toCAF in 2019[95] and expected in service in April 2024,[96][97][98] following delivery and testing on the network of the initial units from January 2023.[97][98] An order was placed for 54 five-car trains: 33 to replace the oldest existing trains and the rest to increase service capacity.[97] The design of the trains increases internal capacity by 10% which, combined with service improvements, will bring about a 65% increase in capacity from Stratford to Lewisham, and a doubling of capacity between Canning Town and Beckton or Woolwich Arsenal. The trains have charging points and air-conditioning.[99]
These new trains entered service in the early mornings of 30 September 2025.[100] On 12 November 2025 all three units of the B23 stock were temporarily withdrawn after a unit overshot a station.[101]
The network has two depots, atPoplar andBeckton. Poplar was opened with the initial line in 1987. Owing to the constrained site, a new, larger, depot at Beckton was opened in 1994 – and is now the main maintenance depot and primary control centre for the network.[102] Track maintenance, off-peak train stabling, as well as the Operating and Maintenance Centre (OMC for TfL Staff) and the Hilton, Ritz and Dorchester Buildings houses the KeolisAmey Docklands franchise staff and the secondary back-up control centre are based at Poplar.[102]
Buckingham Group was awarded a £35m contract in 2021 to upgrade the Beckton DLR depot to accommodate the new B23 rolling stock. Works include construction of a new carriage wash, extension and modification to existing track, and new sidings for the new trains. This was scheduled for completion in September 2023, but Buckingham went into administration the previous month (August 2023). TfL appointedMorgan Sindall to complete the work, alongside a £90m deal to build a new train shed and deliver further sidings.[103]
Traction power is provided at750 V DC via a bottom-contactthird rail system.
Originally, the DLR usedsignalling based on afixed-block technology developed byGEC-General Signal andGeneral Railway Signal. This was replaced in 1994 with amoving-block TBTC (Transmission Based Train Control) system developed byAlcatel, calledSelTrac.[104] The SelTrac system was bought byThales in 2007 and updates are provided by Thales Rail Signalling Solutions. The same technology is used byrapid transit systems including Vancouver'sSkyTrain, Toronto'sSRT, theSan Francisco Municipal Railway and Hong Kong'sMTR. TheSelTrac S40 system has also been adopted by theLondon UndergroundJubilee line andNorthern line. Transmissions occur via an inductive loop cable between each train's Vehicle On-Board Controller (VOBC) and the control centre (VCC, SMC) at Beckton. If this link is broken and communication is lost between the VOBC and VCC, SMC, the train stops until it is authorised to move again. If the whole system fails the train can run in restricted manual at 19 km/h (12 mph) for safety until the system is restored and communication is re-established. Emergency brakes can be applied if the train breaks the speed limit during manual control or overshoots a fixed stopping point, or if it leaves the station when the route has not been set.[32] A secondary control centre is based at Poplar, the location of the original control centre, which can operate immediately should there be any issues with the primary at Beckton.[105]
Initially, DLR was a wholly owned subsidiary ofLondon Regional Transport. In 1992, ownership was transferred to theLondon Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC).[106] With the winding up of the LDDC in 1998, ownership passed toDepartment of the Environment, Transport and the Regions – before passing toTransport for London (TfL) in 2000.[39]
The infrastructure is owned by Docklands Light Railway Ltd,[107] part of theLondon Rail division of TfL, which also managesLondon Overground,London Trams, theIFS Cloud Cable Car and theElizabeth line.[clarification needed] The infrastructure is maintained by the private company awarded the DLR franchise by TfL – currently KeolisAmey Docklands.[39][108] The Lewisham, City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal extensions were designed, financed, built and maintained by private companies (concessionnaires): City Greenwich Lewisham (CGL) Rail, City Airport Rail Enterprises (CARE), and Woolwich Arsenal Rail Enterprises (WARE).[109] In 2011, Transport Trading Limited (a subsidiary of TfL)[110] bought out the companies responsible for the City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal extensions, leaving only the Lewisham extension under private ownership[111] until 31 March 2021, when the concession reverted to TfL.[112]
Initially operated byLondon Regional Transport, the DLR was transferred to the LDDC in 1992. The LDDC appointedBrown and Root to run the system in 1993.[39] In 1994, it was announced that the DLR would be privatised, with operations and maintenance operated under franchise by the private sector.[39][113]
In 1997, the first franchise was awarded toSerco Docklands Limited for seven years;[114][115] operations began in April 1997.[116] A management buyout backed by Serco management later sold its shares to Serco. A two-year extension was granted in 2002. In February 2005 TfL announced thatBalfour Beatty/Keolis,First Carillion,RATP/Transdev and Serco had been shortlisted to operate the franchise,[117] and in November 2005 TfL announced that Serco had retained the franchise for seven years from May 2006.[118][119]
In July 2012, TfL called for expressions of interest in bidding for the next DLR franchise,[120] and in January 2013 Serco's contract was extended until September 2014.[121] In April 2013, TfL announced thatGo-Ahead/Colas Rail,Keolis/Amey, Serco andStagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the next franchise.[122] However, on 30 August, just before the bid submission date of 9 September 2013, Go-Ahead/Colas Rail pulled out.[123] The franchise was awarded to KeolisAmey Docklands Limited, with a handover date of 7 December 2014, expiring in April 2021 with an option for extension without going to tender.[108]
In August 2023, TfL went out for tender for the next DLR franchise, with KeolisAmey Docklands contract being extended to 2025 while bidding took place.[124] In February 2024, TfL announced that KeolisAmey,ComfortDelGro and Connecting Docklands (ajoint venture ofAtkinsRéalis andGo-Ahead Group) had been shortlisted to bid for the next franchise.[125] In October 2024, TfL announced that KeolisAmey retained the franchise, being awarded an eight-year contract to operate and maintain the DLR from 1 April 2025.[126]
Within a year of launch, annual passenger numbers reached 17 million,[127] increasing to 64 million in 2009,[127][128] and more than 80 million in 2011.[129] The most recent figures show 116.8 million annual passengers in the financial year to 31 March 2020.[130] The first five years had unreliability and operational problems,[131] but the system has since become highly reliable.[131] Research in 2008 showed 87% of the population of North Woolwich were in favour of the DLR.[132]
The ParliamentaryTransport Select Committee favourably reviewedlight rail in 2005,[133] and due to the success of the DLR, proposals for similar systems elsewhere emerged. TheNorth and West London Light Railway was a plan for an orbital railway serving the other side of London.[134] The DLR has been successful, as have other recentlight rail systems,[135] although it was earlier criticised for having been designed with insufficient capacity to meet the demand that quickly arose.[44][36][40]
Until 1 July 2013, the only bicycles that were allowed were folding ones.[136] DLR stated that this is because if evacuation is required, they would slow down the process. DLR cars, especially older rolling stock, were not designed with bicycles in mind – if they were allowed, they might obstruct doors and emergency exits.[137] Since January 2014, full-size bicycles have been allowed on DLR trains at off-peak hours and weekends (except Bank Station, where bicycles are not permitted for safety reasons).[138]
The key available trends in recent years for the Docklands Light Railway are (years ending 31 March):
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger revenue[a] (£M) | 74.9 | 88.8 | 102.8 | 122.1 | 130.0 | 146.2 | 158.4 | 166.5 | 168.3 | 171.6 | 168.8 | 54.3 | 104.9 | 128.2 |
| Profit/Financial assistance[b] (£M) | −208.3 | −126.7 | −480.0 | −94.0 | −53.5 | −43.2 | −57.2 | −46.5 | −38.0 | −43.1 | −42.9 | −71.8 | −199.8 | −149.1 |
| Number of passengers (m) | 69.4 | 78.3 | 86.1 | 100.0 | 101.6 | 110.2 | 116.9 | 122.3 | 119.6 | 121.8 | 116.8 | 39.9 | 70.0 | 92.3 |
| Number of trains (at year end) | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 |
| Notes/sources | [130] [139] | [130] [140] | [130] [140] | [130] [141] | [130] [141] | [130] [142] | [130] [142] | [130] [143] | [130] [143] | [130] [144] | [130] [145] | [130] [146] | [130] [147] | [130] [148] |
Activities in financial years 2020/21 and 2021/22 were severely reduced by the impact of thecoronavirus pandemic.
| Year | Passenger journeys | Year | Passenger journeys | Year | Passenger journeys | Year | Passenger journeys | Year | Passenger journeys | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988/89 | 6.6 | 1996/97 | 16.7 | 2004/05 | 50.1 | 2012/13 | 100 | 2020/21 | 39.7 | ||||
| 1989/90 | 8.5 | 1997/98 | 21 | 2005/06 | 53.5 | 2013/14 | 101.6 | 2021/22 | 77.2 | ||||
| 1990/91 | 8 | 1998/99 | 27.6 | 2006/07 | 63.9 | 2014/15 | 110.2 | 2022/23 | 92.3 | ||||
| 1991/92 | 7.9 | 1999/00 | 31.3 | 2007/08 | 66.6 | 2015/16 | 116.9 | 2023/24 | 98.9 | ||||
| 1992/93 | 6.9 | 2000/01 | 38.4 | 2008/09 | 67.8 | 2016/17 | 122.3 | 2024/25 | 97.8 | ||||
| 1993/94 | 8.3 | 2001/02 | 41.3 | 2009/10 | 69.4 | 2017/18 | 119.6 | 2025/26 | |||||
| 1994/95 | 11.3 | 2002/03 | 45.7 | 2010/11 | 78.3 | 2018/19 | 121.8 | 2026/27 | |||||
| 1995/96 | 14.5 | 2003/04 | 48.5 | 2011/12 | 86.1 | 2019/20 | 116.8 | 2027/28 | |||||
| Estimates from theDepartment for Transport[149] | |||||||||||||
Mooted throughout the 2010s,[150][151] an extension across the River Thames toThamesmead was first proposed in November 2019 as part of the Thamesmead and Abbey WoodOAPF (Opportunity Area Planning Framework).[152][153] Technical and feasibility work began in late 2020.[154] Stations would be located atBeckton Riverside and Thamesmead.[155][156] Public consultation into the extension began in 2024.[157] Estimated to cost around £1bn, the extension could open in the "early 2030s".[158]
As part of the construction of theLondon City Airport extension, a gap in the viaduct due west of the western end ofRoyal Victoria Dock, betweenCanning Town andWest Silvertown stations, was passively safeguarded for a future station when development came forward on thebrownfield and industrial sites.[159] A station was also initially proposed at Oriental Road; however this was discounted at an early stage and the site is now flanked by several developments.[160] The potential of development on the land at Thames Wharf was on hold for until the late 2010s, as the area was being safeguarded for the route of theSilvertown Tunnel, a new Thames river crossing which opened on 7 April 2025.[161]
As part of the2018 budget, the Chancellor announced funding for the DLR to support development in theRoyal Docks.[162] Following completion of the Silvertown Tunnel, around 5,000 homes will be built on the site, and a new DLR station constructed.[159][163]
In July 2014, a Transport Supporting Paper from the London Infrastructure Plan 2050 by theMayor of London considered the closure ofTower Gateway DLR station and the branch serving it, with a replacement interchange being provided via new platforms at Tower Hill Underground station. This would increase train frequencies to Bank by approximately 30 per cent, thereby unlocking more capacity on the Bank branch.[164][note 1]
The extension toDagenham Dock in East London, via theBarking Riverside development was first proposed in 2003,[165] and was anticipated that the project could be completed and open for use by 2017,[166] at a cost of around £750 million.[167] In November 2008, theMayor of LondonBoris Johnson announced that due tofinancial constraints the extension, along with a number of other transport projects, had been cancelled.[168] TheBarking Riverside development is instead served by an extension of theLondon Overground to the newBarking Riverside station, which opened in July 2022.[169]
In February 2006, a proposal to extend the DLR toCharing Cross station fromBank DLR branch was revealed.[81] The idea originates from a DLR "Horizon Study".[170]
While not confirmed, it is probable that the Charing Cross scheme would use the overrun tunnels between Charing Cross Jubilee platforms and slightly west ofAldwych. These tunnels were intended to be incorporated into the abandoned Phase 2 of theFleet Line (Phase 1 became the original Jubilee line, prior to the Jubilee line Extension).[171] However they would need enlargement because the DLRloading gauge is larger than tube gauge and current safety regulations require an emergency walkway in the tunnel.[172]
Two reasons driving the proposal are capacity problems at Bank, having just one interchange between the DLR and the central portion ofUnderground, and the lack of connection betweenSoutheastern's routes and the DLR outside of Lewisham. Intermediate stations would be atCity Thameslink/Ludgate Circus andAldwych, which was intended for future connection with the proposed but now abandonedCross River Tram.
In 2011, strategy documents proposed a DLR extension toEuston andSt Pancras.[173] Transport for London have considered driving a line fromCity Thameslink viaHolborn north to the rail termini.[174][175][176] The main benefit of such an extension would be to broaden the available direct transport links to the Canary Wharf site. It would create a new artery in central London and help relieve the Northern and Circle lines and provide another metro line to serve the High Speed line into Euston.
This possible extension was considered during the latest Horizon Study. The route would follow theSoutheastern line and terminate betweenCatford andCatford Bridge stations. It has been seen as attractive to the district, as has the current terminus at Lewisham, built in an earlier extension.[177][178] A map published in 2010 by Transport for London suggests that a further extension from Catford toForest Hill has also been considered.[174]
However, early plans showed problems due toLewisham station being only marginally lower than the busy A20 road, which impedes any extension. The plan is however being revised.[179] When the Lewisham extension was first completed there were proposals to continue further toBeckenham to link it up with theTramlink system. However, the way in which Lewisham station was built impedes this possible extension and it would prove costly to redevelop.[180]
Another proposal is toBromley North by taking over theBromley North Line, a short National Rail branch line which has no direct services into Central London. The scheme being considered byTransport for London[181] and theLondon Borough of Bromley[182] would convert the branch line to DLR operation. AlthoughLewisham Council planned to re-route theA20 road and redevelop the area south of Lewisham DLR station, the plans published in 2012 have no safeguarded route for an extension, making one unlikely.[183][184]
The cash outturn price was not to exceed £77m, to be funded equally by the Departments of Transport and of the Environment to the GLC and the LDDC.
Two bills passed in 1984 and 1985 authorised the DLR – construction began soon afterwards.
Another important principle established at this stage was that all stations and trains should allow for disabled access. This meant that lifts and ramps were available at all stations, and trains were designed with platform height floors.
Stations on the line will have lifts as well as stairs to platform level ... "the lifts will be slow running to discourage people from using them all the time. They are primarily for disabled people, people with shopping and children and the elderly."
the extension could be open in the early 2030s ... We think it could cost around £1bn (2022 prices)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
| West: | Crossings of the River Thames | East: |
|---|---|---|
| Jubilee line betweenCanada Water andCanary Wharf | Lewisham branch, betweenIsland Gardens andCutty Sark | Greenwich Foot Tunnel |
| Woolwich foot tunnel | Woolwich branch, betweenKing George V andWoolwich Arsenal | Dartford Cable Tunnel |
| Stations |
| ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Future |
| ||||||||||||
| Rolling stock |
| ||||||||||||
| Tramways |
|  | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro |
| |||||||
| People mover | ||||||||
| Preserved | ||||||||
| Companies and organisations |
| ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airports |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Major stations |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Roads |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Ticketing | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other | |||||||||||||||||||
| Former BR sectors | |||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
