Caledonian Road Tube station to remain open during vital lift upgrade work

10 March 2016
Following an extensive assessment, TfL has announced that Caledonian Road Tube station will now remain open during essential lift upgrade work
"Our aim is always to minimise disruption to our customers while we carry out essential maintenance and enhancement work"
Gareth Powell
London Underground's Director of Strategy

Following an extensive assessment, TfL has announced that Caledonian Road Tube station will now remain open during essential lift upgrade work.

The decision follows further assessments by TfL engineers and safety experts, which concluded that it would be possible to keep the station open while refurbishing the lifts one at a time over an 18-month period. A date for the start of the work will be announced soon.

Enhancement work

Gareth Powell, London Underground's Director of Strategy, said: 'Our aim is always to minimise disruption to our customers while we carry out essential maintenance and enhancement work. Following further assessments we have decided it is possible to keep the station open, which we know will be good news for passengers.

'During the work we anticipate the station will be very busy, and there may be the need for some short notice closures on occasion if the one remaining lift fails. We ask our customers to bear with us during this period as we carry out this essential work.'

The current lifts need to be refurbished to ensure they work reliably. The existing lifts fail once a week on average, causing disruption to customers.

Lift refurbishment in Tube stations is a lengthy process, with the removal and replacement of hundreds of mechanical and electrical parts taking place in a cramped working space. Because of this, replacing lifts at a station like Caledonian Road - with a single lift shaft that continues deep underground - takes some months.

Notes to Editors:

  • TfL is delivering one of the world's largest programmes of capital investment, which includes building Crossrail, modernising Tube services and stations, improving the road network and making roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Continued investment is essential so that - as our city grows - everyone who lives, works and visits, has the transport they need
  • London Underground is undertaking a major programme of renewal which will inevitably result in some disruption for customers, but TfL is working hard to provide information and alternative travel options. The work is essential to provide for London's growing transport needs now, and into the future
  • Information including a video on how we replace lifts on our network can be found here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-improvements/behind-the-scenes/escalator-refurbishment?intcmp=14562