Plans for Dingwall Road loop to meet passenger demand

Transport for London (TfL) has today published more detailed plans of the proposed new tram loop in Croydon, the next step of improvements to the tram network designed to meet increasing passenger demand.

The proposed Dingwall Road loop would see the trams routed anticlockwise via Dingwall Road and Lansdowne Road, which was the most popular option following a public consultation in November 2014. Views are now sought on these more detailed plans which add important passenger capacity without contributing additional congestion in Croydon town centre.

The Dingwall Road loop has been developed closely with Croydon Council, and would support one of the largest town centre regeneration projects in London. The development is expected to create over 5,000 permanent local job opportunities and deliver between 400 and 600 new homes, with the number of passengers using the tram network in the area expected to double by 2030. The Dingwall Road loop is the next stage of a long term strategy to improve reliability and increase the tram capacity in Croydon by over a third, enabling an extra 1,600 passengers an hour to travel in each direction.

Gareth Powell, TfL's Director of Strategy and Service Development, said: `The success of the tram network since it began 15 years ago is outstanding, with passenger numbers expected to double by 2030. To support this growth it is important to plan for the future. The Dingwall Road loop is the next step of a series of improvements that will deliver extra passenger capacity and increased reliability to the whole of the tram network.'

The public consultation will run from 18 May until 28 June 2015. Further information about the consultation and the questionnaire can be found at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tramlink/dingwall-road-loop-extension

This consultation will help inform further design and planning work over the next few months. A report on this is expected to be published this summer. Subject to the consultation, funding and the proposal being endorsed by the Mayor of London, TfL intend to apply to the Department for Transport (DfT) for powers to construct and operate the Dingwall Road loop through a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) in autumn 2015. The construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2017 and be operational by autumn 2019.

The Dingwall Road loop is part of TfL's future plans for the trams which, subject to funding, includes aspirations to increase capacity and extend the network to other parts of south London. Extra platforms at Wimbledon and double tracking are both already under construction to meet growing demand, with plans for a further additional loop on the west side of town all designed to increase capacity and reliability for customers.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

•The London Tram network opened on 10 May 2000, carrying 15 million in its first year.
•How would the loop work?
For trams timetabled to use the loop, travelling west, the tram would leave East Croydon and turn right into Dingwall Road, travelling northbound to the junction with Lansdowne Road. After turning into Lansdowne Road, trams would call at a new tram stop on the north side of the highway, near Emerald House. On departing the new tram stop on Lansdowne Road, the tram would then head west, turning onto Wellesley Road, where it would join the southbound carriageway, before re-joining George Street and travelling back east.
•More information and maps of the loop extensions can be found at www.tfl.gov.uk/dingwall-road-loop