Dalston Lane, in the London borough of Hackney, is to be restricted to just one lane of traffic for two months, because of vital work on Transport for London's extended East London line railway project.
"People will benefit from brand new trains and eight trains per hour"
Peter Richards
Director of London Overground Infrastructure for Transport for London

People will benefit from brand new trains and eight trains per hour

It means traffic diversions will be in place, from Saturday 21 March 2009 to Sunday 24 May 2009.

The work involves replacing a Victorian bridge which carries Dalston Lane over the new railway.

Replacing the bridge means the new line can eventually be joined to the existing London Overground network.

TfL is spending £1billion constructing the new line, which will open early next year.

Minimum disruption

To keep disruption to a minimum, one eastbound lane will remain open at all times between Kingsland High Street and Ashwin Street.

Westbound traffic will be diverted along Queensbridge Road on to Richmond Road and then to Kingsland High Street.

Peter Richards, Director of London Overground Infrastructure for Transport for London, said: 'This work is key to connecting the East London line extension with existing London Overground services, the Victoria line and the National Rail network at Highbury & Islington, by 2011.

Long-term gain

'We appreciate this will mean some disruption, but we ask people to please bear with this short term inconvenience for a long-term gain.

'When the East London line opens as part of London Overground, this area will be rejuvenated by these new transport services.

'People will benefit from brand new trains and eight trains per hour.'

The works are scheduled to be completed and Dalston Lane returned to two-way traffic on Sunday 24 May 2009.

Notes to editors

  • Motorists and bus passengers using this route are advised to allow an extra 20 minutes for their journeys
  • Hackney Council will remove speed bumps on diversion routes and endeavour to ensure any other works do not adversely impact the diversions
  • Five day bus routes and one night bus route are being diverted
  • Routes 30, 38, 56, 242, 277 and N38 (westbound only) will no longer run direct via Dalston Lane and will be diverted as follows:
  • Routes 38 and N38 (towards Victoria), 277 (towards Highbury and Islington) will be diverted from Graham Road via Queensbridge Road, Richmond Road, Kingsland Road and on to normal line of route at Balls Pond Road
  • Routes 30 (towards Marble Arch) and 56 (towards St Bartholomew's Hospital) will be diverted from Dalston Lane at Graham Road via Queensbridge Road, Richmond Road, Kingsland Road and on to normal line of route at Balls Pond Road
  • Route 242 (towards St Bartholomew's Hospital) will be diverted from Graham Road via Queensbridge Road, Richmond Road and on to normal line of route at Kingsland Road
  • Richmond Road was chosen as the diversion route after consultation between London Buses. LB Hackney, Bus operators Arriva and East London and TfL
  • Richmond Road offers the closest alternative route for passengers because it remains as close to the original route as possible.  Only one bus stop will be closed for the duration of the construction works.  A replacement stop will be sited in Richmond Road, adjacent to a wall for passengers to access Dalston Junction.  (Near the junction with Buxted Road) 
  • The bridge works will enable the former East London Tube line which is being extended and upgraded, to be connected to the North London Railway network. Combined into one railway, this new network will be called London Overground and it will link 20 of London's 33 boroughs. TfL is spending £1.4bn on this project