Cutty Sark station to get four brand-new escalators during temporary closure

• Complex escalator replacement will see the station close from Saturday 31 May until next spring
• The new state-of-the-art and more energy-efficient escalators will provide customers with easier and more reliable access to the station
• Customers are advised to use nearby Greenwich station and local buses during the closure

Cutty Sark DLR station is set to get four new state-of-the-art, energy efficient escalators, providing customers with easier and more reliable access to and from the station. To complete the complex installation in the safest and most efficient way, the station will close until next spring.

During the closure use nearby Greenwich station, which is 11 minutes by foot, or local bus services.  Improved street level signage has been installed to help guide customers more easily between Cutty Sark and Greenwich stations.

The four new escalators will replace the existing ones which have become increasingly unreliable and were eventually taken out of service as they were beyond economical to repair.

Replacing escalators at this station is complex due to the way the existing escalators were installed. Replacing all four at the same time is the best way to minimise disruption to customers. Limited space at the station meant keeping the station open during the works was not possible.

Ben Grellier, TfL's Head of Operations for the DLR, said: "We know Cutty Sark's escalators have been causing disruption and frustration for our customers and we would like to thank them for their patience during this period.    

"We apologise for any further disruption the station closure may cause, but it is not possible to replace these escalators with the station in operation. Once installed, the new state-of-the-art escalators will provide customers with reliable and easier access to DLR services at the station."

Len Duvall, Assembly Member for Greenwich and Lewisham, said: "Whilst the temporary station closure is unfortunate, I welcome news that TfL have secured funding for a lasting resolution to the problems of the Cutty Sark station escalators and look forward to seeing the station reopened and fully functioning."

Transport for London's escalators are heavy-duty machines and tend to be in operation in both directions for up to 20 hours a day. They weigh around 40 tonnes each and carry millions of people each year. A typical 15-metre rise escalator has approximately 15,000 moving parts. The four new escalators at Cutty Sark DLR station will have more efficient motors and drivers and run in energy-saving mode when not in use, using less energy, and helping to decarbonise the network.

Work to replace the new escalators will begin on 31 May, avoiding disruption during the London Marathon. Special entry and exit arrangements will be in place to minimise crowding at the station during the London Marathon this year.  Details of these temporary arrangements will be publicised nearer the time and customers are asked to check before they travel.

Notes to Editors

• There will be a widescale communications campaign advising of the station's closure in the weeks before works commence.
• To support the opening of the new Silvertown Tunnel, from 7 April 2025, customers using pay as you go with contactless or Oyster between Woolwich Arsenal and King George V, and between Greenwich / Cutty Sark and Island Gardens, will have their fares refunded for at least one year - https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/silvertown-tunnel; https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/silvertown-blackwall-tunnels-charge/new-silvertown-tunnel#on-this-page-; https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/silvertown-tunnel
• The existing four escalators were installed when the station was built by City Greenwich Lewisham (CGL) Rail, the PFI that funded the extension to Greenwich and Lewisham and was responsible for all maintenance of that section from 1999 until early 2021.
• TfL took over the responsibility of maintenance in 2021 when it found the escalators needed extensive refurbishment to improve reliability.
• Several custom parts were needed but there were lengthy delays in sourcing these due to COVID-19 pandemic as many came from manufacturing plants in China and Czechia.
• In most cases, escalator refurbishment is a cost effective and reliable solution.  Unfortunately, the issues with these escalators were far more significant and reliability issued continued with the refurbished escalators. This led to a decision that the existing escalators were beyond reasonable repair and would need to be replaced.